Dearly Beloved by Aviel
Quality Time
Disclaimer: Though it saddens me to say it, I don’t own anything relating to Takahashi-sensei’s Inuyasha. However, the plot and/or ideas of this drabble series do belong to me.
A/N: My muse gives me the strangest ideas at 3 AM… :) Update 1 of 2.
Chapter 23: Quality Time
“…Do you want to die?”
If this was said by anybody else, Inuyasha would have honestly thought they were joking.
But as he shrugged off his coat and draped it over his arm, he couldn’t deny the killing intent that was steadily rising behind him. Oh, his brother was definitely pissed.
Shaking off his uneasiness, he threw a grin over his shoulder and answered, “I just thought you needed a breather.”
“Here?” Sesshoumaru muttered, glowering darkly. His nose wrinkled at the stench of cigarettes and alcohol wafting around them. “The air at the hospital was sufficient. I am going back.”
“Sesshoumaru.”
Halting in his tracks, the elder Taishou male paused, considering Inuyasha’s serious tone. It was…concerning, to say the least, for Sesshoumaru had never heard him speak so solemnly in his life. The almost desperate expression on his brother’s face disturbed him on an unknown level, and he wondered what was causing him so much distress. Under his intent gaze, he noticed that Inuyasha had started to fidget awkwardly in place as they attracted a few curious looks from the bar’s patrons.
Smoothing a hand through his hair, Sesshoumaru sighed and strode past the other male, settling down on one of the stools in front of the bartender’s table. The way Inuyasha trailed behind him like a puppy reminded him of a time when he had once needed his big brother to scare away the monsters in his closet. Once upon a time, Sesshoumaru had been his hero.
But now, it was somewhat pitiful. Inuyasha was a grown man; he was perfectly capable of fighting his own battles.
Sesshoumaru would have told him that if it wasn’t for the immensely relieved smile Inuyasha had sent him. He was such a simpleton.
“For a smart guy, you could be pretty dumb sometimes.”
At the unexpected remark, Sesshoumaru almost slid off of his chair. Ignoring his brother’s smirk, he propped his chin onto his hand, deadpan expression in place.
“And a brat like yourself is any better?”
Inuyasha bristled. “Why I outta–”
“What’s your poison, sugar?”
Annoyed by the interruption, Inuyasha gave the female bartender a brief once-over and said, “The strongest stuff you’ve got, lady.” He slapped a wad of bills down onto the counter. “Just keep `em coming.”
“Sure thing!”
Once she was busy, Inuyasha mussed up his bangs. “Now where was I?”
Sesshoumaru didn’t miss a beat. “You were telling me how I should kill you for dragging me here.”
“Oh, right. Anyway, you should…” A light bulb went off in Inuyasha’s head. “Very funny, Sesshoumaru,” he said dryly.
He didn’t even know why he had bothered to ask him anything. A talkative Sesshoumaru was just as dangerous as a quiet one.
Unnerved by the current silence, he opened his mouth. However, he soon found that he would be cut off a second time.
Confusion marred Sesshoumaru’s brows as he asked, “We only came here to become inebriated?”
“Dear god… Can’t you just talk like a normal person?” The dark-haired man grabbed his drink, snorting at the bartender’s flirtatious smile. “You’re like a robot!”
Sesshoumaru stared at his own glass, refusing to touch it for the moment. “My vocabulary is… extensive.”
“Ain’t that the damn truth,” Inuyasha agreed, a bark of laughter leaving his lips. To his amusement, the man that was a few seats away from them jumped at the odd sound. “Listen, Sesshoumaru, you shouldn’t take everything at face value. Stressing about things in the past won’t do you any good. You gotta focus on living in the present. That’s the most important thing you can do.”
If Sesshoumaru was surprised by his brother’s startling insight and wisdom, he didn’t comment on it. But it didn’t mean he wouldn’t get on his nerves, anyway.
“So… You do not want to become `wasted’ as those idiots call it?”
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Jeez… It’s `drunk,’ okay? D-R-U-N-K.”
“Hn.”
“But yeah. We’re gonna drink till we can’t see straight! You can bet on that!”
Sesshoumaru suddenly had a bad feeling about the whole plan.
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Original Posting Date: January 10, 2013
Prompt: For Riku Ryuu’s Random Prompts, Trouble
Words: 700