Hi everyone! This was my first fanfic ever. I was re-reading it recently and realized it was very sketchy and didn't read smoothly so I've fleshed out the chapter more, added more background. It doesn't change the story because this is what I had in mind when I wrote it but at the time, I didn't know how to express it properly in words. I hope you like.

Summary: When Kagome is stuck in her era after wishing on the jewel, something in Inuyasha breaks. When he goes to die by his brother's hand, Sesshoumaru awakens a part of him he never knew existed. Being a slave can be very liberating sometimes.

Disclaimer: I make no money by the writing of this fanfic. And of course, I don't own Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru does. I also don't own the song or the lyrics to the song 'In The End' that I have used in this fic.

Italics are Inuyasha's thoughts, bolds are song lyrics.

Chapter 1: It Starts With…

It was more than a month now since the final battle.

Since the jewel had sucked Kagome back to her own time, Inuyasha had spent most of his days on Goshinboku, watching the well, willing Kagome to come back. But a month later, it finally occurred to him that Kagome really was one for good. Kaede had gently tried to explain that in its final moments of existence, the jewel had sealed the magic of the well but at that time he had been to angry and upset to even consider the fact that the woman he loved had once again gone to a place where she would not return from…and where he could not follow.

(It starts with)
One thing, I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme

Shippou had accepted the truth much faster than he had. Once Kaede explained what had happened, Shippou had declared that he would travel far and train – develop his powers. Perhaps the loss of the person he'd considered his 'mother' had made him realize that he had no one to hide behind anymore. In their little group, each member was strong enough to pull their own weight but Shippou had enjoyed being fussed over and cared for by the kind hearted priestess. A;; of them were different ass night and day, hanging together because the one thing they had in common was loss…they had all lost someone important to them but Shippou had lost it very early in life. He almost didn't even remember his mother and his father had been cut down in front of him, cruelly, needlessly. Yes, that was the way of demons but children were children – demons or humans – and it hurt all the same. After having to grow up without all the things that most children took for granted, it had been nice to be taken care of.

All I know
time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings

But it was time to grow up now.

The clock ticks life away…

Sango and Miroku had married and started a family. They welcomed Inuyasha as part of their family but Inuyasha refused. No matter how much he wished otherwise, this was their family, not his. At best, he would be a close friend; at worst, he would be an intruder.

It's so unreal…

So this is how it is, thought Inuyasha sitting on his favorite high branch, watching the village children playing. Sango and Miroku would have a family and children like these and they would be happy.

Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window

I don't belong here.

But then, he had never really belonged anywhere. He'd never known his home, his father's castle. His only living relative despised him…but no matter what Sesshoumaru did, he could never truly reciprocate that hatred. He needed love too much. All his childhood, he'd tried to earn his elder brother's approval; his elder brother was the closest thing to a father that he had. Little Inuyasha had worshipped the ground he walked on but he didn't know at the time just how deep the wounds of betrayal go…didn't know that all his adoration would never be enough to break through the hatred and hurt in his brother's heart.

Trying to hold on but didn't even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch you go…

He allowed the light, late afternoon breeze to play gently with his hair.

Perhaps the legends were true. Half-breeds were never meant to find happiness. Love was meant for children cherished by their parents, not half-breed bastards. By their very existence, hanyou, especially bastard hanyou, brought ill-luck to everyone close to them.

I kept everything inside…

However strong or self-sufficient or uncaring he tried to be, his curse followed him always.

…and even though I tried…

I couldn't protect anyone …Mother and Kikyou…and father…they died because of me…I killed them… I couldn't even hold on to Kagome…

It all fell apart…

It's enough now…Inuyasha felt something break and then harden in is already bruised heart. It can't go on like this anymore… Kagome was the last…

What it meant to me will eventually be a memory…

"Inuyasha…I will always love you…"

…of a time when I tried so hard…

"Kagome! Don't go! Please, Kagome! KAGOME!"

…And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

The warm, ripe sunlight of the waning day was suddenly full of shadows. Everything is bearable…as long as you have something to look forward to…something to live for. Before Kagome, he'd had Kikyou. Before Kikyou, he'd been too young to really know about loneliness. One can't miss what one doesn't have.

Was it right that he would live forever while everyone who cared about him died before their time? Was it fair that everyone suffered because of him? And he suffered to…and his suffering would be forever. Hanyou are the lowest of the low. Hadn't his blue-blooded brother told him that enough number of times?

"A half-demon…should act like one. One your knees!"

I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

Hanyou brought dishonor to the lives of many; perhaps there was an honorable way out for him yet.

Tessaiga weighed heavy on his hip.

But a few slashes to the stomach would not kill a hanyou; nor would a dive from a cliff or a number of other things that would easily kill a human. How did hanyou end their lives? He did not know.

A bitter smile twisted his lips. I guess most get themselves killed before surviving long enough to want to kill themselves.

Then it struck him.

Get themselves killed…

I designed this rhyme
To remind myself how
I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property

"Your life belongs to me, little brother. No one else shall kill you."

Remembering all the times you fought with me…

Sesshoumaru…You could have killed me in an instant if you'd really wanted but you didn't really want to, did you? He'd become numbed to the injustice of it long ago but it still stung just a little, like a pinprick at the back of his eyes. I was not worth the kill…you wanted to defeat me…to break me…to crush me completely...it's fitting in a way

He jumped lightly down from his perch and stood under the tree for a moment, watching the sun drop lower on the horizon. For a moment, his heart twisted in pain.

…I'm surprised it got so far…

There is no one who will miss me when I'm gone.

But that was the way it should be, right?

Sesshoumaru was walking alone through the forest when Inuyasha launched an attack on him, suddenly form behind. Of course, Sesshoumaru, being Sesshoumaru parried the blow and a quick match ensued at the end of which, Sesshoumaru had Inuyasha under his blade on the ground.

But instead of looking at him with defiance as usual, Inuyasha looked down, bangs covering his eyes.

Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me

"Well, what're ya waitin' for?" he whispered, "End it…"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened momentarily and then his stoic mask was back in place.

"You came here…to die…"

Inuyasha gave a sardonic, broken smile. "Yeah what else…"

I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this
There's only one thing you should know

"I am as useless as you've always told me, aniki…I realize that now…so rid the world of this- this aberration and free me…"

Sesshoumaru's voice was melodious and disdainful as always. "Hmm…you finally realized you place in the world, hanyou."

Arrogance never eclipsed his lethal beauty; it added to it.

"You want me to kill you…but why should I oblige you in this?"

Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears. "Oblige? You've been threatening to kill me for years and now that I want you to, you think you're doin' me favor? Dammit, just finish it already!"

Sesshoumaru sounded amused. "You're in no position to give orders, half-breed."

Inuyasha's ears flattened at the name. The momentary passion seemed to die from his eyes. He lowered his head.

I had to fall
To lose it all…

"Do ya want me to beg?"

…But in the end
It doesn't even matter

His head went even lower...touching the ground before Sesshoumaru's feet. "Please oni-sama…end it now…I beg you…"

Sesshoumaru looked down at the kneeling hanyou with inscrutable eyes. "Why?"

I tried so hard
And got so far…

Inuyasha sat up from the kneeling position but did not meet his eyes. "I have no purpose in this world anymore. I…don't want to be alone…"

I'm disgusting…

Only a sick bastard would get aroused kneeling at his brother's feet. This should have been something he felt only for Kikyou or Kagome, yet even those few times he had kissed them, he had felt nothing like he was feeling now.

His hands clenched into fists, eyes shit tightly. God, why now…why in front of him?

At least, after a few taunts, Sesshoumaru would give him a swift death.

…In the end
It doesn't even matter…

But Sesshoumaru had smelt the stirrings of arousal coming off his brother at the position and it…interested him. "You want to be useful, hanyou?"

He grabbed Inuyasha by the hair, pulled him up and crashed their lips in a harsh kiss. Inuyasha's breath left his lungs in a whoosh as his chest collided hard with Sesshoumaru's armor but Sesshoumaru didn't give him a chance to even draw a breath. Hs tongue plunged into the boy's mouth and explored it with impunity, as if it had always been his to explore and Inuyasha shuddered at the force, his older brother's raw power and with the knowledge that he was incapable of stopping him.

It felt…liberating to give up control for once…to have no choice over his own actions…he had always made the wrong choices, after all.

…I had to fall…

What was the point of control if he still lost what was most important to him?

…To lose it all…

Sesshoumaru's tongue caressed the inside on his mouth, his one hand gripping the hanyou's head, forcing him to remain in place while the other wrapped iron hard against his waist and ground their erections together. Inuyasha moaned.

Sesshoumaru pushed him away and watched him with narrowed lust-filled eyes and smirked. Inuyasha brought a shaking hand to his lips and looked at Sesshoumaru, shocked.

…In the end
It doesn't even matter

"I know what you feel, little brother, and I will give you what you want."

For a second, Inuyasha thought he was going to kill him. But then he continued.

"You want to be useful, you will serve me. From this day on, you will repay your debt to me, hanyou. I have said your life belongs to me and I claim it now."

Inuyasha tried to squash the elation in his heart at the words. "Wha- What does that mean?"

"It means you are coming home with me, little brother. It is either this or a lonely life for I will not take your life nor will I allow another to do so for I have already said, your life belongs to me. Which will it be, hanyou?"

Inuyasha looked at him for a while and then fluidly knelt before him and pressed his lips to the dirt before Sesshoumaru's feet. "I accept your offer, oni-sama. But I have just one request."

Sesshoumaru remained silent and Inuyasha took that to mean he was to speak.

"I want you to mark me…as yours."

Sesshoumaru smiled icily. "Dirty half-breed. You presume to think I would take the likes of you as a mate? Do not make me laugh. Your place is at my feet."

"I understand that…Master." Inuyasha swallowed heavily as he said the word and he became just a little harder.

"I wouldn't dare to even hope for that but please…I want to know I belong to you…I want to know I am yours."

Sesshoumaru looked impassively at the hanyou at his feet. "Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha looked up desperately. "Yes onii-sama?"

"Strip."

A/N: Review please!