Chapter I

Author's Note: Hopefully there are not too many grammatical errors and the like. If there are, I will make sure to fix them in the near future. Hopefully the storyline flows. If it doesn't, I will also make sure to correct that. Hopefully it's enjoyable. If it's not, I am not sure I can fix that ever. Perhaps never. Anyway, this Rin may be a bit different than any Rins you've seen before: a little more mature and a little bit darker since this felt the most authentic to me, considering she grew up in Sesshomaru's presence.

Best wishes to any and all who read this piece!

***Sesshomaru only has one arm in this piece. It will be told why it's missing once again as the story progresses.***

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Inuyasha' nor any of the characters.


Wood crackled as fire consumed each individual piece slowly but surely, the smell of cinders and grass permeating the air. The trees swayed. The crickets chirped.

The golden glow of the fire illuminated the muscular back of Sesshomaru, his narrow hips moving at a steady rhythm into the woman below him. Sweat eased its way down his brow. Short releases of hot breath intermingled in the space between them. She moved to close the distance between their lips but he tilted his face away.

They had never kissed.

Rin knew why but she didn't want to think of the reason while her lord was above her, wanting to be able to fully bask in one of his rare shows of affection. She wrapped her legs tighter around him and buried her face into his neck, inhaling his scent while silently asking for the final crescendo that would undoubtedly lead to both of their peaks. He complied and they fell as one. His body lowered onto hers. She could feel every ridge of his bones and every sinew of his muscles press against her. Rin didn't move. She held her breath, terrified that any movement would act as the catalyst to the inevitable end.

Moments passed, mere seconds, before she could no longer remain still in order to inhale. Her chest rose minutely and, as she knew would happen from their previous encounters, he stirred.

She longed to encase him in her arms so that they could stay connected because she loved his warmth, his soft breath caressing her neck, and him. She wanted to keep Sesshomaru prisoner so that he would have no choice but to be hers, but she could not: he was her lord, a strong demon, and she was his ward, an ethereal human. She allowed him to push himself off of her, acutely aware of the fact that he would never allow for love, at least, not with her. Her heart twinged. He got up and dressed.

He looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

She never stopped looking at him.

He spoke, "Rin."

How she loved that deep baritone of his voice even since before she understood the meaning of love.

"Yes, my lord?" She held herself up by her arms.

"Jaken and Ah-Un will be here soon."

She smiled, "Thank you, my lord," and closed the front of her kimono, happy that he gave her a warning to allow her to preserve her modesty.

He stared at her for a while before ending their conversation with a "Hn," and breaking eye contact.

He walked to the tree across from where she was and sat down against it. Not a second later Jaken and Ah-Un appeared in the clearing bearing rabbits and fish to cook for the night. Jaken made a noisy entrance.

"Milord! I have returned!"

Sesshomaru ignored him. Rin did not.

"Welcome back, Jaken-sama," she greeted with a smile.

Ah-Un walked over to where she was and plopped down next to her as Jaken followed the creature to Rin's side of the camp.

"Silly girl, you must have missed me."

She let a laugh escape her. It sounded like rain on a brilliant spring morning. "I have, Jaken-sama, I really have. How was hunting?"

Over the past year, since Rin had rejoined them, she and Jaken had gotten closer and, ever since her affair with Sesshomaru began three months ago, they had reached a silent agreement that Jaken would pretend that he had no idea what was happening between her and the Lord of the West despite the overwhelming scent they released. It was for Jaken's safety against either magically manifesting rocks or an untimely beheading. Rin was grateful.

He unhooked a pouch from Ah-Un's saddle and grabbed a bowl, pouring water from the pouch into the bowl.

"As expected from one as brilliant as me, it went stunningly well because I am the ever perfect Jaken. Here, have some water." He offered the bowl to her.

"Thank you," she replied as she she took it and brought it to her lips.

Sesshomaru watched silently as Rin drank, noting how a trail of water slid down the corner of her lips and caressed her neck until it kissed her collarbone.

"Jaken," his voice rang through the space between them.

The imp jumped slightly at hearing his name called by his master but quickly answered, "Y-yes, Milord!" He stood rigidly stiff where he was.

"We're returning to the palace come morning."

"U-Understood, Milord!"

Rin chuckled, "Jaken-sama, I don't think you need to be so flustered."

"W-what do you know, you silly girl?!"

She continued to giggle at Jaken's antics sporadically as he moved to prepare dinner but she felt a certain unease at going to the Western Palace. She had never been there in her nineteen years of life and had been living in Kaede's village since she was eleven. Previous to rejoining her lord and Jaken, she had spent her days learning and gossiping with Kaede and Kagome and nights training with Kohaku and Sango. Inuyasha would sometimes allow her to train with him but the truth remained that nobody around her knew anything about the demon court and so she never learned the proper etiquette for it because Jaken and Sesshomaru had never told her anything about it either.

She tried to calm her unease.

She would have plenty of time to learn about it after they arrived tomorrow but what about her current relationship with her lord?

Dread filled her. She knew that what she shared with him was fragile but, as long as they continued traveling, their affair could remain surreptitious. Rin was not naive. She knew that no one would approve what she was doing with Sesshomaru, not even Sesshomaru himself, which was why she was relived when Jaken felt no need to acknowledge their relationship.

Her thoughts were rapidly moving in a downward spiral but she took a deep breath and forcefully composed herself.

She would have faith.

She didn't know in what but she firmly believed that one day Sesshomaru would truly accept what they shared together. Before then, she would do her best to achieve a standing and level of knowledge that was worthy of her lord.

He will acknowledge her. One day. Yes. Definit-

She was abruptly snapped out of her thoughts by Jaken throwing a cooked rabbit's leg at her, "Snap out of it!"

She jumped, barely catching it before setting the leg down in the bowl he had given her water in.

"I have now," she mumbled.

"Good!"

A slight irritation welled up within her but she crushed that down as she did with her uncertainty. Jaken was like family. No, Jaken was family: the closest that she had ever had. She wouldn't let anything negative influence that. Plus, she knew that he meant well but… a little tickle fest never hurt anybody.

She crouched down into a hunting position, hid her intention, and then launched herself at him. As soon as she landed the tackle, she commenced her onslaught of attacks to his sides and feet, fingers nimble.

He broke out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"W-what do you think you're doing, y-you s-stupid girl?" He said in between breaths and laughs.

"W-what does it look like I'm doing, J-Jaken-sama?" She replied, mimicking him.

"S-s-s-stop!" He cried.

"How about… n-n-n-no?" She replied.

The banter between the two continued. Sesshomaru watched them from where he was, the corner of his lips twitching upwards, before he closed his eyes.