Like father, like son…
By kira
For Brownie…
Author's notes: Special thanks to my beta, Jen for pinking this for me, and to Hime-sama for giving me some cheese with my whine. ;p
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"Sesshomaru-sama…?"
"Rin," the taciturn taiyoukai said as he quirked a delicate eyebrow at her.
"Remember when you said Rin-chan had to stay in the village with the others and then when she was came of age, she could tell him where she wanted to stay…" she said softly. Her heart was racing as she wondered how he would take the news.
Sesshomaru could see something was troubling the young woman, and as much as he wanted to know what it was, he felt suddenly afraid. "Go on, this Sesshomaru doesn't have all day."
Taking a deep breath, Rin slowly let it out. "Rin-chan has made her choice."
He nodded.
"She wants to stay with you, Sesshomaru-sama."
"Indeed."
Rin giggled. She was certain she had just seen the corners of his mouth briefly twitch upwards in a faint smile. "So can Rin-chan stay with you?"
"This Sesshomaru would like that."
She smiled at him. "I'm glad you do." She looked away and back. "Not that Kaede-sama was bad to Rin-chan or anyone else in the village was… it's just that Rin-chan… no, Rin missed you."
He reached out, gently touching her cheek with the back of his finger. "This Sesshomaru," he paused, the way she was looking at him, sparking a long forgotten memory. He could his father, standing in the shade of the bamboo that rimmed the perimeter of the main garden. Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, was facing him. He could not remember what they were saying, but he remembered the tilt of her head and how she demurely looked up at him. It was the same way Rin was looking at him now.
"Yes…?"
Sesshomaru frowned. It was like his worst nightmare had come true. He had become like his father in every way imaginable, including falling in love with a human woman. A part of him wanted to reject the idea outright, and he was sorely tempted to go along with it and leave. But looking down at her and, seeing how expectant and worried she was over his deliberation, made him want to stay and accept the cruel twist of fate the gods had handed him. She was not the weakness he had convinced his younger self that a human mate would be, rather she was a source of strength for him. He would only be the weaker if he chose to abandon her.
"This Sesshomaru," he went on as if he had never stopped, "missed you too. He is pleased you wish to stay with him."
"Yeah?"
"Very much so..." Nodding, Sesshomaru turned neatly on his heel and started to walk away. "Come, Rin."
Giggling, she watched him get several paces ahead of her while she admired the view. Shaking her head, she hurried after him, wondering just when walking behind him had gotten to be so… entertaining.