Smile

The sky was beaming, a charming sparkle adorning its very centre as the sun peered down on him. Sesshomaru thought the day was far too cheerful with its delightfully cool breezes and its warmth. He couldn’t find a thing to be blissful about. Rather, he felt annoyed and temperamental and impatient, and he could admit it readily. He thought he had a perfectly good reason for being so.

The demoness beside him sat wit her legs tucked beneath her, her aged eyes directed out across the fields that bestowed the land not too far away from the castle. Chiyo seemed far more at peace than he was, despite the stony expression and seemingly lax state his body seemed to be in. She didn’t seem to fear her Lord, which Sesshomaru found understandable. Despite his frustration towards the elderly demoness’ words and ways, she was an old friend, good to his father and mother and his healer. She was much like an elderly family member to Sesshomaru.

She sighed as though she had seen this day coming for a long, long time and asked him what was bothering him, her aged voice slightly raspy.

His golden eyes narrowed as he watched a butterfly flutter down to a flower peeking up from the grass beside him, landing with barely a sound. Sesshomaru frowned and began to talk; choosing his words carefully until they were tumbling from his mouth like water did in rapids, unstoppable despite his wishes. He explained that wooing Inuyasha was proving to be far more difficult than Sesshomaru had ever anticipated. Nothing seemed to working, or anything that seemed to one moment, blew up in his face during the next.

The demon Lord knew Inuyasha would be used to humanity’s ways of courting, as he grew up with his mother and Sesshomaru didn’t bother to alert the half-breed to the many ways demons found love; he hadn’t expected Inuyasha to live to be a day over a hundred and he certainly hadn’t a clue about his own feelings morphing to those of fondness towards the boisterous half demon (it had taken him by surprise; one moment he was practically glaring a hole through the centre of Inuyasha’s forehead and the next he was wondering and admiring his ears, really, it was unacceptable! But he’d gotten used to the idea and he couldn’t simply divert his attention elsewhere, Sesshomaru knew better than that). He’d had to ask his younger brother’s friend, the monk, how to approach the issue (females tended to gossip, no matter what species they were; there wasn’t any way Sesshomaru was going to ask the demon slayer or the strange mortal Inuyasha often carried around for help), under the guise that there was a human he wished to please.

He told her that the monk had immediately offered him the idea of complimenting Inuyasha and this had been easier said than done. Sesshomaru had often stood in the foliage or behind rocks examining Inuyasha whilst he’d trained after that, attempting to find something to praise.

Sesshomaru didn’t want to compliment him emptily and Inuyasha would immediately think that something was wrong with him (Sesshomaru wasn’t so love-struck that he couldn’t recognize the fact that he hadn’t felt much for Inuyasha until a few months before then and had often attempted to kill him. It was to be expected that he would be suspicious). The half breed wasn’t anything special in the way of looks. He wasn’t beautiful, but he wasn’t ugly either. Sesshomaru didn’t think Inuyasha’s voice was anything but grating either, so there were to be no comments on ‘lovely sounds’ that ‘caused my heart to sing’. There really wasn’t anything especially great or enchanting about Inuyasha. Thinking back as he was then, the demon Lord didn’t think that the quality he’d finally chosen was all that suitable for what he wanted to achieve, but he’d (after a week of watching) stubbornly strode towards the half breed and declared, “Inuyasha, the skills you display whilst training with the Tenseiga are substantial. You will become a great warrior in the future.” Chiyo’s response wasn’t much better than Inuyasha’s as she chuckled as though it had been something extremely amusing, whilst he’d been met with a yowled challenge and much swearing from Inuyasha, as though he’d just insulted the half-breed.

He strived forward with his story, despite the swelling anger that was slowly spreading throughout his chest. After another week of continuous compliments (all on the half-breeds swordsmanship), Sesshomaru had consulted the monk again.

This time he’d been advised bestow the greatest of gifts on Inuyasha. This, Sesshomaru had thought with smugness, he knew how to do; it was similar to demons and their courtship. But what to give a half-breed that had nothing? Where to start? Sesshomaru had left the monk’s company with thoughts of sparkling jewels and other extravagant riches in his mind, but the more he’d thought of them, the less great each item seemed to be. Inuyasha didn’t care for the finer things in life. He was a heathen with no respect for nobility, he was easily pleased and content when he ate a meal every day. Such things and their worth would have been lost on him. Chiyo wisely nodded with his reasoning, an action that made Sesshomaru feel slightly better, as he told of how he thought it would be best to attempt a far more simple approach.

Sesshomaru told of the chrysanthemums he’d had picked, each a deep pink, like the one that graced his kimono. Surely Inuyasha knew that these flowers were the symbols of the royal family in Japan, surely he’d realize – through the colour – that it was Sesshomaru left these small tokens on his clothes every time he bathed. Sesshomaru had had such high hopes. Only to have them quashed. He toyed with a sharp blade of grass with one of his immaculate claws as he told of the foolish questions Inuyasha always met his friends with once he’d returned to their sides.

“Who keeps leavings these fucking flowers on my clothes?”

“Someone obviously likes you, Inuyasha.” The human girl with the odd attire had commented back once.

“Yeah, well, I wish they wouldn’t leave them. What the hell am I supposed to do with them, put them in my hair, like some woman?”

The demon Lord had not been impressed.

Chiyo chuckled, he sent her a hard stare, she waved a clawed hand and asked him to continue as she swiped a thin, grey hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Sesshomaru did.

Next, the monk had suggested that the Lord simply tell the woman he loved that he cared. This, Sesshomaru had immediately thought, would not happen. It was obvious that Inuyasha held much animosity towards him and he was not going to outright tell the half demon that he cared far more than he should. He would need to tread lightly, create trust, not drop a bombshell on the disgraceful being. Sesshomaru couldn’t comprehend how much mirth Inuyasha would gather from such a proclamation; one did not go from attempting to killing and hating a person to loving them so quickly. Inuyasha wouldn’t be able to realize that Sesshomaru had been feeling as he has for months; he’d continued his threats and warnings until a mere few weeks before.

And, finally, here he was moping like a child denied his favourite meal, spilling his tale to Chiyo, his advisor and healer. Sesshomaru graced her with a stare that dared her to challenge his strength both as a Lord and a demon. She did not, simply hummed and looked to the sky.

The silence that followed deafened Sesshomaru as he waited impatiently for Chiyo to share her knowledge on the subject. He sat still, his legs crossed beneath him and waited, concentrating on the wind toying with his lengthy, platinum white hair as the demoness pondered.

“Sesshomaru,” She finally started her voice was quiet and calm, “It is my belief that you are trying too hard.” The thought struck him like one of Naraku’s sharp, merciless tentacles, making him angry and causing him to frown. The demoness continued hastily as she spied his expression’s change, “You are making this all very complicated. Throughout your tale and even now, when we talk of Inuyasha, you do not show that you care.”

“I have said I care.” Sesshomaru reasoned irritably, though his voice remained cool and even.

“I am sure you’ve heard the human saying, ‘Actions speak louder than words’.” The demon nodded, “Do you remember why your father and I taught you to not smile, Sesshomaru?”

Sesshomaru didn’t and he said so.

Chiyo huffed and picked a flower, examining it as she explained, “It is quite simple. Your smile was so dazzling that every being that bore witness to it was brought to their knees. Literally, child.” She paused and shifted, straightening her hunched back and rubbing her aged shoulders slowly, “Your father had always been a protective man, over your mother and then you. You are exactly like your mother, my Lord, from your beauty to your temperament. He asked me to aid him in such a predicament as you were far too young to understand the impure intentions of other demons and demonesses – you had not even breached 160 – and you had more suitors asking for your hand than I can remember any Lord having.”

She sighed and placed the yellow daisy back on the grass, “Your father worried that a demon may grow jealous any other male close to you. Poison is hard to detect through smell and Lord Inutaisho refused to worry you by having a servant taste yours and everyone that ate at your father’s table’s food. We deduced that a stony expression would be taught to you under the guise that it would be far more proper than your father’s foolish grinning. I have told you that you are like your mother, have I not, my Lord? Lady Satori often wore a face of stone, I cannot remember seeing her smile genuinely and I have served her since she was a young pup herself.

“Unsurprisingly, you were able to control and hone your emotions easily enough. You managed to master your expressions within a year. Unfortunately, it had seemed that your emotions had turned cold. You didn’t speak unless spoken to or unless you held a very strong opinion on something. You grew to be very serious and have remained that way.”

With the sound of a tired sigh from Chiyo, Sesshomaru’s gaze returned to the ground and he watched as a beetle scuttled through the labyrinth of bright green blades. He attempted to recall such happenings. Slowly, as though an injured soldier stumbling through smog, he began to recall a time when he had smiled. His adolescence seemed wrought with mischief and mayhem, from the times he’d snuck out of the castle with Kazuo stumbling behind him and the times he’d simply felt like he should be allowed to learn and do more. At the time, his father wouldn’t allow him to handle a real sword and it had angered him beyond belief. But he remembered himself smiling. He remembered doing so a lot. His father had also grinned foolishly most of the time, and Sesshomaru had wanted to be everything his father was and more, from being a powerful warrior to a caring father.

Sesshomaru could remember times like those Chiyo had described. One that especially stuck out was when the Lord of the East had visited to talk to his father about a treaty and had brought his three beautiful daughters with him. He’d claimed that they’d been – and he himself was – curious as to Sesshomaru’s mystical ability to be able to weaken the warriors with even the hardest of hearts. It seemed that he’d greeted them all with a smile and a respectful bow and had had all the princesses tittering and their father watching with a shaky expression mere moments after.

Thinking back now, Sesshomaru could not believe that he’d caused such madness; it seemed ridiculous that one’s smile could cause such a reaction in all they met. It was preposterous. But it could make his wishes come true… Was there hope for him in capturing Inuyasha’s half human heart?

He inquired softly, “Are you sure I am not simply cursed? I do not want Inuyasha to be placed under a spell.” Where was the victory and honour in that?

Chiyo’s raspy laugh echoed in Sesshomaru’s large ears, “My Lord, you definitely cast a spell upon all that saw you in the past. I remember hearing the humans that had met you as having referred to you as anangel.However, I do not believe it was caused by sorcery, and will be a more natural occurrence.”

Sesshomaru inclined his head. That sounded suitable. As long as Inuyasha had free reign over his decisions, he would not question the methods he was advised to try. Smiling couldn’t be that hard, certainly much easier than thinking of a gift or a compliment; he’d seen and been struck blissfully whenever he’d witnessed Inuyasha do so and though Inuyasha didn’t smile as often as Sesshomaru would have liked, the humans he travelled with did. Perhaps he could lure Inuyasha into feeling something other than hatred for him if he simply smiled at him?

This question, lead Sesshomaru’s thoughts to a very sudden and hindering inquiry. He levelled a hard gaze on Chiyo, finding her emerald eyes locked with his as he said, “I do not know if I’m able to smile. I cannot remember how.”

The comment made elderly chuckles flow from the demoness, as she held her belly with mirth and smiled back at him, “It is fairly simple, my Lord. You simply nudge your lips up at the corners and everything else shall follow.”

With a small hum of acknowledgement, Sesshomaru attempted such an act towards the grass, feeling extremely uncomfortable and foolish for doing so. He attempted to twist his mouth up, finding his face twitch and contort unattractively. He felt his lips when he managed to make them hold still and found them to appear ogreish in appearance, contorted, ugly. He allowed his expression to fall into its usual stony mask.

Chiyo chortled beside him, making a twinge of annoyance snap in his chest, “Do not worry, my Lord. I am sure it will be far easier to smile if you were talking to Inuyasha when you tried. Simply think of something that makes you happy whilst you do.”

“What should you say to him?” Sesshomaru asked levelly.

The demoness stood up and brushed off her deep purple kimono, “You will know, my Lord. Think of what you want and approach the boy. It will all come to you.” She then left him to his own thoughts.

It was a simple decision from then on for Sesshomaru. One did not accomplish anything by sitting about thinking of it and he was sure that this attempt would cause as little harm as the last few ideas had.

He would attempt to smile at Inuyasha. And he would attempt it only once.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sesshomaru didn’t understand how smiling was going to help him in his plight to gain Inuyasha’s love (though the memory of many, many demons suddenly turning boneless did help him gain confidence), but as he stood in the forest and watched Inuyasha train, he found that he hadn’t taken into account that his smile had only ever been tested on demons. Would Inuyasha’s human blood hinder his smile’s effects? Despite his worries and doubts, it seemed too late to go back on Chiyo’s advice now. And he hadn’t travelled for a day to simply stare at the half breed, despite that having made him feel somewhat dazed.

The demon Lord watched with a swirling tummy as Inuyasha swung the Tesseiga up and down before twirling somewhat shakily and slashing through the air horizontally, viciously. It was a well practiced move, though, now that Naraku was gone, Sesshomaru wondered if his brother would ever gain the opportunity to use it on a worthy opponent. Inuyasha’s fire-rat, scarlet haori had been thrown to the ground a half hour earlier and Sesshomaru could see sweat sheen on the half breed’s skin.

The wind picked up and blew his hair every which way, pushing him towards Inuyasha and the area in which he trained. Sesshomaru hadn’t bothered to hide down wind this time, hoping Inuyasha would pick up his scent, stop his exercises and call for him. After a few more minutes it seemed that Inuyasha was ignoring his presence, a fact that annoyed Sesshomaru very much; he deserved far more respect that what Inuyasha was or had ever given him.

Still, now was not the time for anger. He could get angry later; when this plan of Chiyo’s failed as Sesshomaru thought it would (despite his stark hope that it didn’t). It took him a moment, as he gathered his bearings, pushed his hair behind his ears and over his shoulders and marched towards Inuyasha bull-headedly, as though he were facing a foe.

Only now did Inuyasha halt. “What do you want, Sesshomaru? I thought I told you I didn’t want to see your fucking face again?” The half breed practically growled as he lifted the Tesseiga into the air beside him, ready to strike should he see fit.

Should he smile now? When was it appropriate? Why had he not thought to ask Chiyo when he’d had the chance?

Sesshomaru hesitated – though he was sure he didn’t appear so – before he slowly stated, “I would like it if we spent some time together, Inuyasha.” He thought of Inuyasha agreeing and meeting him, of eating together peacefully and in a calmness that made Sesshomaru willing to spoil Inuyasha and the half-breed pliable. He also needed to relax his facial features and allow them to move and morph on their own…

Inuyasha snorted, “Why in the name of the fires of hell would you want that? I’m just a half-demon, remember? If it’s a fight you want, then ask away! We both know I can kick your arse!”

“I do not wish to fight.” Think of something that made him happy, Chiyo had said, and Sesshomaru was fighting to do so now, but Inuyasha was making it extremely difficult as he snorted and wiped at his sweaty brow.

Sesshomaru’s breath hitched, as he watched a drop of liquid dribble down the half breed’s bared chest from his chin. He hadn’t felt this before now, this wonder, seeing this beauty everyday would make him extremely happy. He examined that same drop of salty sweat as it followed the hard curve of Inuyasha’s chest and continued down his hard stomach that was not yet as muscle bound as his own. He’d be happy if he could touch Inuyasha, if only for a moment…

“Oi! Sesshomaru!” Sesshomaru’s golden gaze lifted to one much like his own, finding Inuyasha’s eyes heated with anger that he was sure wouldn’t be present in his own frigid gaze, “What’s wrong with you, bastard? You looked like you were in a daze?”

“I wish for you to join me for dinner, Inuyasha.” He stated, hoping the additional information would prove that he wasn’t jesting.

“Why?” Inuyasha asked, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Sesshomaru charged on, “I wish to get to know you, little brother.”

“And that makes me want to go anymore, why?”

“It would make me happy if you joined me.” And Sesshomaru found that it honestly would. Anything, as long as Inuyasha spent sometime with him. Alone, preferably, without those annoying mortals he lived with.

“Peh!” Inuyasha snorted and turned away, “Fuck off, that isn’t going to happen, you-”

“Inuyasha, are you afraid to eat in my presence for one night?”

It seemed his challenge worked as it was supposed to. Inuyasha immediately whirled to stab a hot glare through the centre of his head, with his teeth bared and a growl running hand in hand with his words, “Not a chance! Alright, fine, when is this stupid dinner? I’ll be there early! I’m not fucking scared of you.”

Sesshomaru felt relief flood him. He would spend one night with Inuyasha and he’d be able to attempt to coax the half breed into another meeting. Which would then lead to another and another and hopefully a relationship that could last until they were both elderly and Sesshomaru had marked Inuyasha as his mate many, many times. The thought of this all being for naught made Sesshomaru want to stubbornly grab Inuyasha, steal him from the humans he cared so much about and lock him away for his own pleasure and peace of mind. Inuyasha couldn’t fall for another when there was no others in his life. Still, Inuyasha had agreed and that was a start.

During his musing, Sesshomaru found that Inuyasha’s expression had turned into one of shock as his ears stood to attention, his eyes widened into gold centred plates and his mouth fell agape. Sesshomaru examined him, “What is it?”

“Uh – Nothing, nothing, you’re – Nothing.” Inuyasha stumbled.

Sesshomaru chose to ignore his brother’s odd behaviour before the half breed decided he was teasing him and wouldn’t show up to their dinner.

Sesshomaru intoned slowly, “It will take place three nights from now. During the full moon. I expect you at the castle at sundown. Do you remember where my home is?”

“Yeah,” Inuyasha stated half as though he were only half aware of the happenings around him.

“I will send Jaken to remind you in two days time. Good day, Inuyasha.”

“Bye…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A few hours later Sesshomaru found himself at the camp he had set up the night before. No one would have realised what it was as it was so clean, as though the dragon laying snoozing beneath a large tree wasn’t any alert of it being upon a demon Lord’s camp. It was beside a calm river, one that he could leap without any trouble.

Sesshomaru called for Ah-Un to awaken, as he checked the packs that sat upon the dragon’s hide. As the dragons pulled their heavy, leather clad heads to face him, Sesshomaru was somewhat confused at the sudden appearance of bewildered expressions. They growled with worry and nudged at his clawed hand as he set it upon Ah’s snout.

They left him be after another long glance, as he strode to the river, as though he were still on the adrenaline rush his eating a hare for the first time in weeks had him feel, its red soaked flesh still warm from life in death as he tore and fed upon it. Sesshomaru knelt beside the cool, pristine water and gazed into it. He surprised himself as he gazed into the water’s reflection of him, his molten gold eyes widening slightly as he struggled to leave his facial muscles where they were.

How odd… He hadn’t even realised he’d been smiling.

It seemed foreign on his face. He hadn’t seen it there in a few centuries. He scrutinised himself. His eyebrows appeared to be higher, as though they were being pulled and held up. His eyes seemed wider and they shone with a familiar warmth that he’d only remembered seeing in his father’s eyes and then Inuyasha’s when he was first introduced to him and aware of it. He traced the line of his lips, finding the smooth skin to lift up, just as the painting in the water told. Perhaps he had charmed Inuyasha into agreement? The half-breed had fallen quiet by the time he was leaving, dazed almost. Should he do so again at the dinner Inuyasha was attending, just to be sure it was the smile and not his challenge that made Inuyasha come? The half-breed was stubborn, but even he knew it was stupid to risk his life by attending and placing himself in the middle of Sesshomaru’s direct territory.

Sesshomaru allowed his expression to fall into his usual mask, his brows lax, eyes cold and his lips in a small line that displayed he was neither happy nor displeased. He then attempted to smile again. He found that he could not. Yet again he felt wrong and ashamed, as though it was against his very existence to do so, the muscles refusing to move into position as easily as they had when he was with Inuyasha. It was very much like the feeling he’d felt when he’d first realised he was fond of Inuyasha: wronged, as though it shouldn’t be happening.

His expression fell and the almost pain dissipated. Sesshomaru was going to have to practice. He could not do with not knowing when he was smiling, lest he make a fool of himself in front of people he did not want to. Or, should Chiyo be correct, he gain far more attention than he wanted (he gained enough as it was). It was going to take practice, but Sesshomaru was sure that – as long as it ensnared Inuyasha honourably – it would be worth it. Especially if he managed to gain a mate from it, Sesshomaru realised.

He returned to Ah-Un, who appeared far more at ease with his cold countenance back in its proper place. He mounted the dragon demon, swinging one of his long legs over the saddle and urged them into the air and thought about what foods he’d have the cooks make for such an occasion. It wouldn’t be anything too grand, as Inuyasha would feel overwhelmed. Nothing to suggest he was stingy either; It had to be perfect.

What would they talk about? Sesshomaru frowned; that he’d need to put thought into. Surely they couldn’t talk for as long as they ate about their father’s swords… Perhaps it would be better if he didn’t mention their weapons at all; they seemed to fight more when they were. Sesshomaru leant forward as Ah-Un climbed higher into the cerulean sky, dodging the few clouds that graced it with ease.

Perhaps Sesshomaru ought to ask Chiyo for advice again? If it worked as well as her last wise words had, it would be worth the irritating, all-knowing gazes he'd recieve from her for as long as he was in her presence. Even if they lasted months.