An Absent Touch

He was a grown man, this shouldn't get to him so much.

Inuyasha, who had been alive for over 600 years now told himself this as they stood on a New York street.

Youkai had gotten much better at disguising themselves now, but you could still tell, if you knew where to look - that glint in their eyes that hinted at violence, the way they were unfazed by things that should be worrying, the way their smile lingered a second too long on their lips.

And the six or seven men in sharp suits in front of him were definitely youkai. Even if there had been any doubt, it would have become clear by the way they reacted to his brother - with a wary distance that suggested they still remembered the old Western lands.

It wasn't still pleasant, being surrounded like this by full-youkai. A half-demon always remembered what it felt like to be among full-blooded demons. Inuyasha was afraid they would hear his heart thundering in his chest, sweat breaking out on his neck from anxiety. By the supercilious look in their eyes, he could tell they knew, knew he did not belong despite his equally expensive clothes -

And then Sesshoumaru's hand in the small of his back, as he stepped forward to deal with them. Inuyasha forgot momentarily about the youkai as he glanced over at his brother. He didn't seem to notice he had done it as he spoke to the others, but the effect on Inuyasha was immediate - he felt like it was easier to breathe suddenly.

The youkai seemed to have noticed too, consciously or unconsciously. Some took a subconscious half-step away from Inuyasha. The others stopped staring at him and turned their attention to the demon Lord.

Inuyasha's heart-rate returned to normal; Sesshoumaru's hand left his back only after they the youkai had bowed and left, and then, only to hold him subtly closer.

A/N: For an ask prompt on Tumblr. Feedback is good ^_^