Hello, well, I know you guys have got to be getting frustrated with me, what with all the stories I keep posting, I know you all liked Fallen angel and I'll get back to that one just as soon as I can think of something to put next. I swear this is worth the ending I have planned. So please, just R&R! Be gentle.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Inuyasha's characters!
Chp. 1: Bum's the word.
Rin walked briskly down the crowded streets of San Francisco. She'd just gotten the one-in-a-lifetime job she'd always wanted. Her new boss was the biggest name in town and she got paid well also. It didn't matter that she had to work past eight, it didn't even matter that she wasn't allowed to take a coffee break till three, all that mattered was that she now had something to do with her life. She finally had a reason—Rin lurched in an unexpected forward motion. Her feet caught against something hard that spread out right in her walking feet.
Rin twisted and let her backside take the brunt of the blow. Pain shot up her back and over her arms. Wincing and moving very carefully, Rin sat up a little straighter and glanced around, looking for the thing that had tripped her. The first thing her eyes came in contact with were a pair of men's legs wrapped in torn and faded denim. They were filthy from ankle to waiste-band, she noted as she let her gaze travel up his legs and to a rather dirty cloth covered torso. The man's face was covered with a card-board flap so all she could see was the lower half of his body.
Rin gasped and was instantly up and beside the man's head. What if he was desperately ill and she'd just fell right on him. Guilt clenched her insides in a vise-like grip as she slowly started to remove the card-board. Another gasp escaped her lips as she revealed the face of an angel. Well, if angels could possibly look like a grubby cowboy from an old western film. His lips were firm and perfectly sculpted. His chin and jaw square, but not too much so. His nose was practician, straight, with a slight flare in his nostrils. His eyes were closed and thick dark lashes rested against darkly tanned cheek bones.
Light silvery strands of hair grazed messily over his forehead and thick dark eyebrows and Rin had the oddest urge to brush the errant locks back. But she quickly squashed it. She didn't need any romantic entanglements at the moment. Especially not with swarthy skinned cowboy bums. Just as Rin pulled away and began to stand the man's hand shot out and grasped her wrist. "Hey," he murmured tugging at her wrist almost playfully. "You just gonna run off after you practically fall on me?" His gruff voice sent a shiver of trepidation down Rin's spine and she gulped.
"N-no, I- I was going to make sure you were all right...are you? I didn't hurt you or anything right?" Rin gasped as the man sat up suddenly and released her wrist. Her eyes caught his. The most amazing eyes she'd ever seen gazed up at her. The rich, dark amber color seemed to shine with a bored expression Rin was sure he wore more often than he should. His shaggy, dirt smudged hair, she realized, shadowed some of his face and fell just below his chin.
He brought one long fingered hand up and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess I'm all right." His eyes left her's for a moment before he grinned, looking utterly foolish and like a little boy. "I usually don't lay in the middle of the street yah know. Usually I find a secluded alley to bunk down in, so's I won't scare off all the pretty young ladies like yourself." Rin blushed at his flattery and looked away, decidedly uncomfortable. Well, it wasn't every day she got complements like this from such a ruggedly handsome man. It made her feel much better about herself.
Then she heard a growl. Startled she looked down at the man who was wearing a rather sheepish expression."Sorry," he said his voice slightly embarrassed. "I haven't eaten to good lately." A pang shot through Rin's chest as she looked down at the half emaciated man. Then the idea hit her. Perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible if she bought him a good meal, and maybe a fresh pair of clothes...a bath would help. On that thought, Rin threw caution to the wind and made her proposal. "Look, I can see your hungry, your clothes are filthy and you are in dire need of a bath, so why don't I just take you here and there and-"
"Look lady, I appreciate the offer, but you don't know me. I could be a mass murderer or someone like Jack the Stripper! So, thanks but I don't think you were usin' yer head when you made that offer"
Rin blinked at his harsh, reprimanding tone and frowned. Why couldn't he just take her up on her friendly offer. Besides, anyone who turned down an offer without really hearing it first had to have some decency in them.
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Sesshomaru looked the petite woman over once more. He didn't know out of all the thousands of people in San Francisco there would be one, a woman no less, who would offer him the three things he wanted desperately at this moment in his life. But something stopped him from excepting her offer. Something about her that he didn't want to corrupt, something he knew he could never have truly ever had. Innocence.
So he denied her, and himself. Any other person he'd have to the offer up in a heart beat...just not her. She was too small, to fragile. Kindness bled from every pore of her being. Her cherubic face, with it's pouty coral pink lips, wide cobalt blue eyes and perfectly sculpted features, was just too trustful and open. It took him a moment to realize she'd spoken and was waiting for an answer. She must of seen his out of focus look for she repeated her question.
"Why not? You seem like a nice enough guy, besides, I can scream bloody murder and the knife in my pocket isn't just for show. I could geld you without even breaking a sweat." Sesshomaru blinked up at her and smiled. Well, she had quite a tongue this one did. He'd always liked women with a mind of their own. Made things a whole lot easier in the long run. Rubbing that thought from his white board of a mind Sesshomaru scowled and tried to pull up the meanest face he could think of...unfortunately...it only made the woman laugh.
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Rin covered her mouth to hold back the giggles that tried to slip forth when the man proceeded to give her a glare...that ultimately ended up with him looking almost cross eyed. Stifling the urge to laugh aloud Rin continued her offer. "Anyway, I can tell you really want all of those things. I saw the way your eyes lit up when you heard the word bath." Rin watched as the man let his eyes drift down as suspicious color flooded his tanned cheeks. Then he mumbled a "They were probably still shining from the mention of food", before he started to lift himself into a standing position.
Rin frowned and took a step or so back. Not only was the man handsome, he was tall, with incredibly broad shoulders. Rin found herself wondering what they would feel like underneath her hands when the man spoke. "Well, I guess I'll take you up on your offer then. As you said, I am in bad need of a bath..." He pulled at a greasy lock of hair. "And a comb." Rin smiled and turned slightly intending to walk back the way she was going.
"Oh, by the way, my name's Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru Takahashi. And yours would be..." He paused as he waited for Rin to continue his train of thought. Grinning Rin tested the name in her mind before saying, "I'm Rin Matsumoto, it's nice to meet you Sesshomaru, let's say we get you some clothes and a shower before we go and eat?" Rin felt Sesshomaru's name come easily to her lips and wondered at the thought. Well, she had all night to figure it out. Even when she was back at her apartment wondering what would happen to the bum she just decided to give a chance.
Rin smiled to herself as she continued on her way to her apartment. Bum's the word.
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Well...that was...horrible...I didn't really like it. It didn't come out like I planned. Though I hope you'll like it okay. Well anyway, tell me what you think! Please reveiw!