Happy New Year everybody! Just a quick thing for Sesshomaru and Rin! Something to wish you all a Happy New Year with!

Shining stars twinkled happily over the blanket of fresh snow, the moon illuminating the large manor that sat beneath the towering mountains. A demon stood in the garden of his vast home, his amber eyes enjoying the moment of peace. Sesshomaru sighed, a puff of air escaping his lips and vanishing into the air. A new year meant new wars; new wards meant he'd be away from home. And away from Rin.

He'd met her on the battlefield, pulling men, both his and his others', out from the rubble. When he came and approached her, she instantly stood between him and the wounded, her eyes determined and her body guarded. She didn't respond to his threats, telling him, not begging, that she was going to care for these people and that they would be safe. As their commander, she would let him come, but not to kill. When he asked her how she intended to make him follow her rules, she asked him how long his men would last without care.

His first visit was met with hostility, from the other men she was caring for more than her. She was more cautious, keeping him in the corner of her eye at all times. But she worked to make his visit as comfortable as possible.

He came daily to check up on his men, greeted with her beautiful smile and a welcoming cup of tea. It wasn't until his last soldier had come home did Sesshomaru realize he didn't have an excuse to visit her. He still came, and was still greeted with tea and a smile. She met many of his warriors and servants when they came looking for him. Evidently, he was spending far too much time with her in her small village with her when he should have been in his manor addressing his people and strategizing with the other Lords.

It was her that caught on, and she told him as much. She seemed burdened by the knowledge that she was the reason he wasn't where he should be. Rin tried to deter him, going out for errands at off times, telling him to go when he'd only spent an hour at most.

When he finally confronted her about the goings she only told him that his time was better spent on his duties as opposed to her. He seemed composed, and offered her a deal. He'd spend the next week away from her, and if she didn't miss him during all that time, he'd leave her be.

It was easily the worst week of both their lives.

Rin told him that she missed him terribly, feeling more and more disappointed each day he didn't show up at her door to talk. For Sesshomaru, he found the days uncomfortable and boring. He was missing their conversations, missing her smile. Missing her.

When Sesshomaru showed up after seven long days as he promised, he brought with him an entourage bearing expensive gifts, kimonos, hair ornaments from places Rin had never even heard of.

He also came with a proposal of marriage.

She told him later that the reason she didn't outright jump into his arms was because she worried that her muddy hands would destroy his pristine white kimono.

The demon made to return to his home, walking slowly to his bedroom where his wife was no doubt waiting for him.

A few made comments to him that he had rushed into marriage. He, on the other hand, could see no other woman for him than her. The months his warriors spent healing in her home were more than enough for him to know her.

Aside from the few comments, her introduction to high society had gone much smoother than he had anticipated. She was almost universally loved, and even his mother came around eventually. Every guest Sesshomaru had only had eyes for her. They all enjoyed her company and her conversations, to the point where Sesshomaru strongly suspected many return trips were exclusively because of her.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

"I'm coming, Rin."

It still irked him that she used his title. She was his equal now. But no matter how often he reminded her, she still called him that.

He suspected she would always call him that.

Whenever he walked into her home she always called him Lord Sesshomaru. His soldiers and other lords always called him by his title. But now she was his equal.

And they were supposed to be trying for a child.

He opened the door to their bedroom, shutting it quickly behind him so as to keep the cold air out. His mind was too preoccupied in thinking about the baby they were supposed to be having.

If he was out at war, could he even be there to protect them?

"Rin…"

"You're back!"

Nothing much made the Lord Sesshomaru pause in awe. But having his wife greet him wearing a very see though kimono and nothing else made his jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Is it too much?" Rin asked, looking down at the incredibly sheer kimono she was wearing, "I can take it off…"

"Uh…"

He really couldn't think.

Rin was many things. Strong, smart, beautiful, kind… but sexual wasn't a word Sesshomaru would call her. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy sex with her; far from it. But to have her instigate sex was something entirely new. Having her press her chest against his nearly made his mind melt.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

Her fingers teased off the edges of her kimono, exposing her naked collarbone and shoulders.

"You need an heir, don't you?"

He finally snapped out of his reprieve.

"Rin…"

She seemed confused and hurt as he gently pulled her arms from around his neck.

"I-I'm sorry," she seemed upset now.

"Rin," his fingers ran over her cheek, "that's not what I mean."

She waited patiently for him to continue, his lips pressing on her forehead.

"I am very flattered that you'd do this for me," he looked down at her figure, "where did you get this?"

"I asked a tailor if they had something that you might light," she went red, "this was their suggestion."

The usually stoic demon couldn't help it. He chuckled.

His wife really was something else.

"I would love nothing more then to tear this off you and have you with my child," his lips were to her hair, "but… I worry about the coming year. A war is near and I might not be able to be with you," his fingers ran over her flat stomach, "or them."

Her big brown eyes looked up to meet his amber ones. When he first met her, she found the eyes to be hard and cruel. Over the months, they became like warm honey, pools she would be more than happy to lose herself in.

"I guess… I should go get dressed."

"Don't you dare."

She squeaked and giggled as back was brought into his chest, his arm around her waist.

"Thought you were upset about the timing," she whispered, her nose to his markings.

"Perhaps," he admitted, "but I promise you, I will do what I can for you and them to make sure you're not raising them alone."

"Promise?"

Sesshomaru brought her in for a deep kiss, his fingers around her cheeks and jawbone.

He loved kissing her.

"I promise," he whispered, lips parting from hers.

"You know just how to make me melt…" Rin whispered.

"Considering you have me around your little finger, making you melt is the least I can do."

Rin giggled as he scooped her up like he did on their wedding night, with her feet dangling in open air. She pressed close to him as he guided her down onto the pile of furs that was their bed. With swift, almost practiced motions, he pulled off the obi and opened the kimono. What little was left to imagination was now exposed entirely to him.

"I never seemed to get you to myself anymore," Sesshomaru whispered, her hair touching his lips as it slipped from his fingers, "all these parties and dignitaries…"

"They're there for you!" Rin giggled.

"They come for me, but stay because of you…"

"They just want to see the human that captured your interest," Rin smiled, her arms slipping over his bare back as he came closer.

"And they see… and they know… almost immediately."

Rin smiled as he brought himself back for another kiss, her arms bringing them closer together.

"I get worried someone might steal you…"

"Who would do that?" Rin asked, lifting up to kiss him.

"Anyone with eyes."

"Then they'd see that I'm all yours…"

He grinned at her cheekiness. He loved her boldness. Sesshomaru lowered his lips to hers, her fingers returning to run through his long locks. His own hands were at her sides, running down her smooth skin to her thighs.

She bent her knees up, her flesh touching his kimono before her fingers did. Her hands pulled at his clothes, the demon making to crawl out of the large opening she was making for him. With impatience Rin pulled off his top, leaving him in nothing but his hakama and his blue and yellow obi around his waist.

During their time together, Sesshomaru had learned that Rin only needed time to break away from her shyness. On their first night together, Rin didn't touch him all that much. Now, her fingers were trailing a path for her lips to take over his muscles.

"Bold…"

"You bring it out in me," Rin smiled up at him, her black hair going everywhere over their white furs.

"And cheeky too," he murmured, his nose lowering down to hers.

"And you knew that when you married me," her finger tapped his nose, "anything else you'd like to comment on?"

"Just how much I look forward to you being with me for the years to come."

Rin paused and smiled up at him, her hands slipping out of the kimono sleeves to cup his cheeks.

"And I will be," she promised him, "because you will live a good long life and die of old age, surrounded by those you love, not in the middle of a battle field."

Sesshomaru studied her face for a moment longer, his head turning to kiss the palm of her hand.

"We rarely get a say in how we die…"

"Or how we're remembered."

The demon felt her chest press against his.

"But I will always remember you as someone who loved everything about me; that's all I need you to be."

"Rin."

His hand came to her back, his nose to the crook of her neck.

"You need me to be more than that," Sesshomaru told her, "you need me to be a husband and a father," he pulled back to look her, "and I will be that for you."

"I know," Rin laughed, "but first you need to have a baby to be a father."

He smiled at the implication, wasting no time and slipping off the rest of his clothes. Rin kept close to him, keeping her breath controlled as his erection found her entrance. He felt her nails tighten on his skin as he slowly slid into her, knowing that she was likely feeling some pain, especially since he didn't treat her body as he usually did.

To be fair, he'd never been a patient demon, and he'd barely seen his wife let alone touched her in the past two weeks. He was so busy running from meeting to meeting he would be in his room only to sleep, seeing her when he woke up and before he went to bed.

He wanted her. Now.

"Ah… hah…"

She dug her nails into his skin, knowing the marks wouldn't stay longer than an hour at most.

"Se… hah…"

His lips worshiped her jaw and throat, his own hands sliding over her back. He pulled her up to a seated position, better for him to be deeper in her. She gasped for a moment, tightening around him in every sense of the word.

"I'm never gonna get used to this," Rin gasped, "am I?"

"If you do, it means I need to try something else," Sesshomaru whispered, his teeth scraping against her pale skin, "so I hope not."

Rin laughed; a breathy kind of laugh that the demon wouldn't mind hearing more of.

But for now, he would much rather hear her scream.

She nearly drew blood once he started moving. She clawed at his back as he thrust into her, her throat marked with dark welts. Rin moaned and cried as she let herself be taken over by her feelings, not caring how many of the servants heard her.

At first, Rin was always worried about who heard the two of them in bed. Surprisingly, not one of the servants, despite all being demons, made a comment to her. It was then she learned that Sesshomaru had told every employee of his that if they upset her in any way, he would see to it that it would be their last day.

While she wished her husband wouldn't threaten others, she was grateful no one was poking her nose in their sex life. She couldn't imagine the scandal that would break if someone peeked in and caught them in their currently compromising position. She doubted the soldiers that served under him would look at their leader the same way if they knew how gentle he was being with his wife as she bounced up and down on him.

She wished they could've stayed like that for hours, entangled in each other's arms, rolling around in the furs. Unfortunately, the two eventually tired out. Even the demon, with all his stamina and strength, eventually passed out next to his beautiful and exhausted wife.

"Sesshomaru."

His hand covered her cheek in reply, Rin snuggling closer to him.

"Happy New Year…"

Sesshomaru smiled softly, his arms wrapped around her body and let himself fall into a deep sleep.

The demon woke slowly, the morning light warming his bare back. He quietly reached for his wife, lifting his head up when he couldn't find her.

"Rin?"

"I'm out here."

Her voice was clear and coherent, guiding the demon to the door that led outside. Slipping on his hakama, the demon pulled opened the sliding door, seeing Rin sitting there in his kimono and her bare feet skimming the snow.

"Good morning," Rin nodded, turning back to look out at the new morning sun.

"And good morning to you," Sesshomaru murmured, lowering down to kiss her back, "since when do you get up before me?"

"Since you're starting to get lazy," Rin turned to look back at him, "you're sleeping in…"

"Exercise before bed helps," his lips travelled over her shoulder blade and to the top of her shoulder as one of his arms slipped over her waist.

"Sesshomaru," Rin smiled, her hand touching his wrist, "you know you don't need to kiss me to prove I'm yours."

"I know," he whispered, "but I need to remind myself that you are, indeed, mine."

"I'm always yours," she kissed his temples, "don't you ever forget that."

"I know," he smiled, "you're not using my title anymore…"

"Oh!"

"No," he took her face in his hands, "I like it. Don't ever stop."

"Okay," Rin laughed, "Sesshomaru."

"Hn," he murmured, kissing her back, "Rin… my Rin."

"Hm…" one of Rin's hands reached to rub the back of his head while the other ran over her stomach, "Happy New Year, Sesshomaru…"

"Happy New Year, Rin," his free hand lowered to cover the one on her stomach, "and Happy New Year to you too."

"It doesn't take that fast," Rin teased him, "but hopefully…"

"It will," Sesshomaru promised, "and our years to come will be better then the last."

"If you're around, they will be," Rin smiled, turning to meet the demon's lips and pull him in for a deep kiss, the first of many to come in their new year.