#inubros

“Your team might have an increased chance at victory had you made the choice to do just that.” Sesshomaru said coldly.

Inuyasha’s ears drooped slightly under the bite in the remark and Miroku watched Sesshomaru’s keen eyes zero in on the movement.

“Houshi.”

“Yes?” Miroku scrambled to gather his wits as he realized Sesshomaru had turned his wrath on him now.

“Leave.”

“Oh-kay…”

It seemed unwise to look the gift horse in the mouth here and so, being a wise Ravenclaw, Miroku took the opportunity to scramble away, sending up a silent prayer for Inuyasha, who was now sandwiched between his nemesis and his brother.

 _____________________________________________________________

“Who are you playing against?” Sesshomaru asked, keeping his gaze straightforward as he stepped up to his younger brother’s side.

“Hufflepuff,” came the quiet response.

“That boy - the slayer’s brother -”

“Kohaku?” Inuyasha interrupted and Sesshomaru fixed him with a bored look that screamed ‘Did you really assume I cared what his name was?’

“Whoever he may be,” He said flippantly, “he plays for the team. Seeker. This Sesshomaru orders you to send well-placed Bludgers in his direction.”

“His sister is a Beater with me?!” Inuyasha protested, wondering what that poor kid could have done to put him on Sesshomaru’s hit list.

“How you manage your task is not this one’s concern.” His brother sniffed haughtily. “Word has reached this Sesshomaru that the boy has an… interest in Rin. At their age? Unacceptable. You will maim him or this Sesshomaru will take matters into his own hands.”

“I won’t maim him, you sick bastard, he’s a kid! Does the old man know you’re doing this?!” Inuyasha asked, pulling out the brothers’ shared trump card. Their father.

Sesshomaru smiled then, a truly terrifying occurrence, and spoke. “Father? He would be a hypocrite of immeasurable proportions should he take offence to this Sesshomaru’s actions, especially considering the very heated letter the Headmaster will be receiving when he learns that the wolf was made team captain over you.”

“He won’t!” Inuyasha groaned and Sesshomaru responded immediately, a sick sort of glee in his voice.

“He most definitely will.”

“Why does Dad gotta make my life more difficult just cause he’s a damn PTA mom.”

There was a pause then.

“This Sesshomaru does not understand that reference.”

“It’s a muggle thing,” Inuyasha explained tiredly and Sesshomaru’s chin jerked up several notches.

“Hnn. Of course.”

The brothers stood in silence for a moment, watching Koga flex through his robes in mirrored disgust.

“Could your reluctance to carry out this Sesshomaru’s will -”

“Plans of murder, you mean - OW! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?!”

“My will.” Sesshomaru pressed on, inspecting his claws as Inuyasha clutched at his head, recovering from the sudden blow.

“Could it stem from your infatuation with a certain Muggleborn Hufflepuff?”

Sesshomaru watched in silent amusement as Inuyasha’s face turned a deep shade of red and he choked.

“No, what the -”

“There was no need to respond,” he interrupted, turning away from his younger brother again, “This Sesshomaru already knew the correct response. The question was merely posed to fluster you, bumbling simpleton that you are.”

Inuyasha muttered something that sounded suspiciously like ‘yeah, well you’re an even bigger bumbling simpleton,’ while he scuffed the ground with his foot.

“And do you perhaps fear that she will prefer the wolf to you now that he is in possession of all sorts of prestigious positions.”

There was no mistaking the derision in his voice now, and Inuyasha supposed that to Sesshomaru, the head boy who achieved straight O’s in his OWLs, and was well on his way to being the goddamn Minister if he so chose, Quidditch Captain wouldn’t be a big deal. But he had wanted it, he had deserved it. And now that wolf had the position, just like he would get Kagome.

Life fucking sucked.

“Why are you so fucking talkative today, huh? Asking all sorts of questions like some kind of creep.” Inuyasha snapped. Part of him hoped that it would be enough to shut his older brother up, but another couldn’t help but insist that it was kind of nice to feel like the other boy cared.

“Your mother asked Father who asked this Sesshomaru to make sure you were alright, as if this one didn’t have more important things to focus on.”

While his brother’s words were far from the sweet words of concern others would have  desired, Inuyasha knew that Sesshomaru didn’t do a damn thing if he didn’t want to do it. Regardless of who had asked him to come speak to Inuyasha, if he hadn’t wanted to, he wouldn’t have.

“Sorry, didn’t realize the Gobstones club was such a fucking riot.”

There. Couldn’t have anyone thinking he was going soft for his brother.

“Shut your mouth,” Sesshomaru hissed and Inuyasha resisted the urge to laugh. Clearly, Gobstones were a sensitive subject.

“He’s a pureblood and he’s Quidditch captain. He clearly likes her, why would she want me?” Inuyasha finally spoke. His hands fisted at his sides as he watched Koga approach Kagome who had just walked onto the field, presumably to wish the bastard luck.

“Because the wolf is an idiot.”  Sesshomaru responded and Inuyasha’s head shot up immediately, staring at his brother in shock. Was he saying -

“Do not misunderstand… idiot. While you, yourself, are a fool of ridiculous proportions -”

“Wow, don’t sugarcoat it.”

“- the wolf is even more so.”

There was silence then as Inuyasha watched Koga pull Kagome into a hug that set his blood on fire.

“If she still chooses him, she wasn’t worthy of you anyways.”

The words were spoken so quietly that he wouldn’t have believed he had heard them if he hadn’t seen Sesshomaru’s lips move. He knew better than to respond, the only indication that he had even heard his brother speak a small nod.

“You may be a half-blood, but half of your lineage is also mine. Taisho’s do not stand about and let wolves walk over them.”

“You’re right!” Inuyasha said, straightening his robes with a renewed sense of purpose.

“I’m Sesshomaru, of course I am.”

Ignoring his brother’s last remark, Inuyasha took a few steps in Kagome’s direction. With Koga having departed for the locker rooms, she now stood conversing with Sango. Sango whose brother he was supposed to “maim.”

“Wait, Sesshomaru?” He called, turning back. Sesshomaru, who had started leaving too, stopped and turned back.

“Um.. do me a favour.. Don’t tell the old man about any of this, huh?” Inuyasha said awkwardly, running a hand through his hair.

“Too late.” Sesshomaru responded immediately.

“WHAT?! How?! You were standing right here the whole time?!” He demanded, pulling at his hair in frustration.

“This Sesshomaru anticipated that this was exactly what was bothering you, and so he penned a letter to Father in advance, informing him of the situation.”  His brother explained calmly, smirking at him as he turned his back on him again and began to walk away.

“I expect Father is already on his way here, you know how he worries.”

Inuyasha groaned loudly before turning back to face where Kagome was standing. If he was going to do this, it had to be before his father got here and before he lost his nerve.

“Kagome!” He called out, taking determined steps in her direction.

She turned to face him, a smile breaking out across her face and he was suddenly struck all over again by how pretty she was. Her hair was blowing gently in the wind, catching the sunlight and gleaming a shiny blue. Her eyes seemed to be sparkling as she looked at him, her lips a rosy red.

Fuck, she was so out of his league.

“Inuyasha! How are you?” She asked, taking another step away from Sango and towards him.

“Good, good.” He said breathlessly, shoving his hands into his pockets. She was standing in front of him, her head tilted back so she could look him in the eyes. So close that he could smell the scent of her shampoo wafting towards him from her hair. Strawberry.

He wondered if he was imagining the way her eyes flitted to his lips when he spoke. The way they quickly roved over him before settling decidedly back on his face, a pink flush covering her cheeks.

“So.. you ready for the game today?” Kagome asked and he felt the tension begin to ebb slightly from his shoulders as she led him into conversation.

‘So she doesn’t want you to fuck off, okay good start.’

“Yeah, gotta kick your guys’ asses, don’t we?” He grinned, and she laughed.

Oh god, her laugh. If there was a sound that could encompass love, sunshine, and all of the angels in heaven singing together, then it was Kagome’s laugh.

“Winning isn’t always what’s important, you know.” She chided gently, wrapping her arms around herself as a particularly strong gust of wind blew around them.

“Are you cold?” He asked immediately, already pulling his robes off of his shoulders as she began to protest.

“Oh no, no you don’t have to -”

“I want to!” Inuyasha said firmly, wrapping the cloth around her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, smiling softly even as she blushed deeply.

Holy fuck it was cold. Even he had to admit that it was freezing. But when she looked up at him through her lashes, all he could feel was warmth spreading through him.

“So,” Kagome hedged, drawing her bottom lip under her teeth in a motion that captivated him. “Koga made captain huh?”

Aaaaand it was freezing again. All the warmth had dissipated. Something about the sound of that fucker’s name on Kagome’s lips made him want to run headlong into the Whomping Willow.

“Yeah.” He said shortly, refusing to divulge anything else.

“That’s not fair.” She finally spoke, and he was surprised at the anger in her voice. “That position should have been yours.”

Well not to toot his own horn, but he did wholeheartedly agree with her there.

“I’m sorry Inuyasha, I know how badly you wanted it.” Kagome kicked at a rock on the ground with alarming ferocity and his heart began to thud erratically at her display of anger on his behalf.

“I mean I did say I didn’t want that responsibility.” He pointed out, hoping she would contradict him and get all huffy again.

“Well who would come out and say that they want it straight?! You shouldn’t have to say it, they should have known you were the natural choice!” She snapped, glaring at him as if he was the headmaster himself.

“What can you do, what’s done is done.” Inuyasha shrugged, feeling much better about it already. Who the fuck cared about being captain? Kagome thought he was the natural choice.

“No, Inuyasha! You should fight this!” Kagome insisted, wide eyed and hands balled into fists. “You’re smart and talented and a great leader! This position was made for you!”

He was at a loss for words then. Did she really think that? Could she really believe those kinds of things about him?

“Ya mean that?” he asked quietly, looking down at her with what he hoped was a neutral expression that didn’t betray just how much the words meant to him.

“Oh, Inuyasha,” she said softly, lifting her hand to place it on his cheek, “of course I do. You’re one of the most amazing people I know. If I didn’t already like you so much, I’d be head over heels.” She laughed softly, all while his heart thudded into overdrive and sweat broke out on his forehead. Did she realize what she had just said?

“You like me?” He repeated, awestruck.

Kagome froze, her smile slipping off her face.

“Did I say that? Me?” She said quickly, her eyes glancing about wildly.

“You just did!”

“Nope, don’t remember that. Definitely wasn’t me.” Kagome insisted, pulling her hand away from his face and wringing her fingers together.

“I heard you! Kagome!” Inuyasha growled, grabbing her arm as she made to hurry away.

“You like me.” He stated, feeling a balloon of happiness start to inflate inside of him.

“No! I didn’t say like… I said… lick!” Kagome cried.

“You - what?”

“No, oh god that sounds even worse. Let’s stick to like.” She groaned, pressing her face into her hands.

“Kagome,” he began slowly, his palms suddenly clammy. “I… I like you too.”

“INUYASHA! SON, WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU, SESSHOMARU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO JUMP OFF THE ASTRONOMY TOWER!”

Well he hadn’t been planning on it before, but he was definitely considering it now.

He didn’t even turn around to face his father, keeping his eyes pressed shut, and squeezing Kagome’s hand as a signal for her to remain silent as well.

“Oh. Well, I seem to have interrupted something.”

He was such an astute man.

“My apologies kids, I’ll wait.”

He heard his father shuffle awkwardly out of the little corner he and Kagome had ducked into.

“Sorry about my dad.” Inuyasha said blandly. There was no longer any awkwardness in the words, he had spoken them enough times throughout his life.

“You like me as well?” Kagome said, ignoring his apology entirely. Her hand was squeezing his now, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Damn, Kagome, of course I do. You’re pretty..okay looking,” he finished lamely, losing his nerve halfway through the sentence.

She seemed to understand what he meant though. She beamed, her hands releasing his and framing his face.

He couldn’t help but smile as well. Not with her looking at him like he had given her some sort of great gift.

He didn’t know who made the first move, but they were getting closer and closer, until he could see the flecks in her eyes and the light freckles dotting her nose. Close enough that he could feel her breath on his lips, see her eyelashes brushing against the smooth skin of her face when her eyes drifted shut.

Close enough that he barely registered the shout of “HURRY UP AND KISS HER ALREADY, KID!”