AN: Shameless fluff alert (pun intended). I hope you have a sweet tooth, because I'm about to rot out your teeth with sugary goodness. Sesshomaru and Rin are both fun to write, and are easy for me at least.
I went back through and fixed all of the little errors like spelling slips, or grammar errors. I just cleaned it up a bit. I try to do that with my one-shots.
Rin sat motionless in the meadow containing the Bone Eater's Well, anticipating the arrival of her lord. There were dark clouds looming on the horizon, hinting at the approaching storm. I'll wait here just a while longer; maybe I won't get caught in the storm.
The girl threw her mahogany hair out of her face. The wind had picked up substantially in the past few minutes, causing the leaves of the surrounding trees to rustle, and the layers of her blue kimono to flutter in the breeze. Every now and again, she would hear the distant rumble of thunder. Maybe I should start heading back… Lord Sesshomaru won't be very happy with me if he finds me in the middle of this storm.
With the thought of an unhappy Lord Sesshomaru, Rin rose from her place on the ground with her bow and turned to leave the meadow. Kagome, at first, tried to keep Rin from even entering the surrounding forests. Kagome knew Rin's demon lord would shred her to pieces if he knew about Rin's excursions. The priestess quickly learned that it was a losing fight; Rin would always be a traveler, even if that meant exploring the surrounding forest. Finally, they made a deal: if Rin wanted to explore the forests alone, she had to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow. The deal had been made almost a decade ago, shortly after Rin arrived in the village at the age of eight years old.
Rin hadn't noticed that as she became lost in thoughts, she began to slow her walk until she came to a complete stop. A loud clap of thunder brought Rin out of her trance, and sent the girl running scampering towards her hut. Rin hadn't made it twenty yards before the downpour began. Great. Now I'll look like a drowned rat when Lord Sesshomaru arrives!
The mighty dog demon had left Rin in the care of the village priestess nearly ten years ago, in hopes that Rin would learn to live a normal human life. The visits weren't originally part of demon's plans, though. When Rin learned that he was leaving her for good, and figured she would never see her Lord again, the girl quit eating and drinking. After nothing else worked, InuYasha had to track his half-brother down and bring him back to the village. Rin immediately went back to her happy demeanor when Sesshomaru came back; the visits became a monthly occurrence from then on.
Rin had just reached her hut that InuYasha and Miroku had built for her on the outer edges of the village; Sesshomaru complained that she was too near to the forest when he learned of Rin's new home. Rin smiled at the memory. He cares about me, even if he doesn't like to show it.
Rin sat down at the table near her window and watched the thunderstorm raging outside, and got the sudden urge to play in the rain. She immediately squashed the idea. I'm too old to be doing things like that now; I might catch a cold from the rain anyways. That's just what I need. Rin let out a sigh.
To take her mind off of the brewing storm outside, the young woman looked at the basket of herbs she had picked earlier that day, and decided that she should sort them. Rin dumped the basket unceremoniously on the table and began to methodically separate each plant. For the past five years, Kagome had been teaching her the essentials of being a priestess. There were exciting parts of being a priestess such as fighting off demons, and helping to deliver children in the village; then there were the not so fun parts, like picking herbs and making medicine.
Thinking about the priestess training made Rin cringe; Kagome had recently been trying to unlock Rin's spiritual powers. So far, Rin had managed to accidently set Kagome's haori on fire. The incident was isolated, too. The only time I've ever managed to tap into it, and I set my teacher on fire! Kagome managed to put out the fire quickly, and the girls laughed it over; now that Kagome had gotten something out of Rin, though, she was determined to unlock her potential, so to speak. The training left Rin mentally drained. I'd take being physically exhausted over being mentally exhausted any day.
Rin had been so deep in her musings that she hadn't heard the flap to her hut open. A woman, dressed in the traditional priestess garb, a bit older than Rin had just entered, and stared at the girl sitting at the table worriedly. The worry shone in her large eyes. Rin usually loves company, and knows the moment we get here. I wonder what's on her mind?
Instead of waiting for Rin to acknowledge her, Kagome just headed for the chair next to Rin at her small table. Kagome smirked when she heard Rin's gasp; wow, she was zoned out! "I thought I would check up on you; InuYasha said that he can smell the storm is only going to get worse. Do you want to head back to our hut with me so you aren't by yourself?"
Rin looked at Kagome with her brown doe eyes and shook her head. "I'll be fine here Kagome-san. I'm not scared of the storm." That part may have been a lie, but Rin, oddly, didn't feel like socializing at the moment. In all actuality, thunderstorms scared Rin badly, as there had been one when her family was murdered. At the thought of her family, a deep sadness was etched onto her face.
Kagome saw the change immediately, and began to worry even more. "Rin, I can tell something is wrong. You can talk to me, you know that!" The elder girl sent Rin a friendly smile.
Rin looked at her with a sad smile. "I was thinking about my family. They were murdered during a thunderstorm. I would rather be alone, at least until the weather is back to normal." Rin didn't want to come off as being obtuse; she just wanted solitude. There is one person that I would like to be with, though…
Kagome understood her reasoning, and stood from the table. Moments before she left, Kagome turned back to Rin. "For what it's worth, if you are ever feeling down, or need to talk about anything, come to me. I promise I won't tell!" With a smile and a wink, Kagome left the hut.
Rin's dark mood lifted a bit. I'm so thankful for the surrogate family that I have. I don't know where I would be without them. A part of her knew exactly where she would be without them. You would be dead. Rin shivered at the morbid thoughts, and tried to focus back on her herbs.
Her mind began wandering shortly. I wonder where Lord Sesshomaru is? Did he get caught in the storm, or is just not coming until the storm is over? The festering doubts that had been in the back of her head reared up as she thought of more possibilities, each one equally depressing. What if he finally realized that I'm not worth his time?
A loud clap of thunder broke Rin from her self-depreciating thoughts. She felt wetness on her cheeks. I'm such a crybaby! I just made myself cry at my own thoughts! Rin stood up in search of a cloth to wash her face with and gasped as she turned around.
The mighty dog demon had arrived moments before Rin had begun crying. At first he was angry that she didn't even acknowledge that someone had entered her home. What if I had been here to hurt her? She would've been dead in seconds and wouldn't have known what hit her! Before he could scold her for her inattentiveness, he smelled salt water. Tears.
The smell made Sesshomaru's blood boil. Someone has hurt my Rin. The girl seemed to jolt out of a trance and stood up immediately, turning to the door, only to gasp at the sight of him blocking the doorway.
A smile broke out on her face, and before Sesshomaru knew what was happening, Rin had wrapped her arms around him. "You came, milord!"
Sesshomaru's eyes widened an infinitesimal amount. Why would this Sesshomaru not come? "You sound surprised." The dog demon made the observation with little emotion in his voice.
Rin's eyes widened as she realized that she was still wrapped around him. The girl jumped back as if he had burned her before responding. "W-well, I-I wasn't s-sure if y-you would c-come during t-the s-storm." He could tell she was lying as soon as the words passed her lips. The only time Rin stutters is when she is nervous. The only time she is nervous is when she is guilty of something.
The taiyoukai fixed his cold stare on Rin and watched as she gulped. "Rin. I know when you are lying. You stutter. What made you think that this Sesshomaru would not come, even though he had given you his word?"
Rin's face turned pale. She immediately began to stare at the floor. "…"
Even with his superior sense of hearing, Sesshomaru couldn't make out the words that the girl said. "Do not mumble; it is unbecoming."
Finally she raised her eyes to meet his, causing him to nearly flinch at the sadness in her gaze. "I thought you had finally decided I wasn't worth the trouble."
Sesshomaru was shocked. He took control of his emotions quickly. "This Sesshomaru is unsure as to why you would come to such a conclusion." Rin looked into her lord's eyes, and almost gasped. She could see worry in them, and almost a bit of hurt.
Rin looked surprised. Then she grew angry. "What do I have to offer? I can mix up a few healing pastes, and have mediocre control over my spiritual powers at best. That's it. I'm nothing special."
Sesshomaru felt amused at Rin's self-examination. "The fact that you can even tap into your spiritual powers is an achievement in itself. Many humans cannot do it. You can." Uncharacteristically, Sesshomaru tried to lighten the mood. In his usual cold voice he threw a barb at her, knowing she would know it was a joke. "This Sesshomaru doesn't know what to tell you about your medicines, sadly."
At the small quip, a fire lit in her eyes and put a small smile on her face. There is my Rin. "I'll have you know that those pastes are hard to make; one wrong move and I could turn it into some horrible poison." She haughtily turned her nose up and sniffed. Rin was exaggerating about the poison bit, but hoped that he wouldn't call her out on her bluff. He didn't.
Rin finally realized that her lord was drenched head to toe from the storm outside. I'm such an idiot! Feeling herself blush, she quickly rushed to find a towel for him. She returned moments later. "Forgive my bad manners, milord! I can't believe it took me this long to realize you were soaked." Rin gave a small bow to the demon lord.
Sesshomaru nodded his acceptance to the apology. Rin began to look around her rather small hut and began to feel self-conscious. Trying to break the silence that had cemented itself between the two, she began jabbering about anything and everything as she moved around her kitchen area to make some tea. Sesshomaru sat in one of the chairs at the table and just listened as she blabbered.
Unbeknownst to Sesshomaru, Rin was panicking. Oh kami! Why can't I stop talking? I feel like such a dunce when Lord Sesshomaru is around! Her frayed nerves became apparent when she accidentally poured scalding water on herself. Rin let out a yelp at the pain.
Before Rin could even sit the teapot down, Sesshomaru was by her side. "You need to be more careful. Let me see it." The demon was turning her hand around looking at it from all angles. When he seemed satisfied that the burn wasn't life threatening, he tore a strip from the sleeve of his haori and tied it around Rin's hand. The girl's face was a deep scarlet. Oh kami, I need some air!
After thanking Sesshomaru as calmly as she could, she looked out the window and was delighted to see a break in the storm. She immediately headed outside, stopping to grab her bow and arrows on the way out. There were a few limbs down from the forest, and scattered leaves all around. The ground had turned muddy and made a squelching sound at each step she took. Rin waited for Sesshomaru to exit the hut before heading into the forest.
The pair walked without speaking until they reached the Bone Eater's Well. Sesshomaru was wary of Rin standing so near to the deep and empty well, but didn't comment on it until Rin sat on the edge of it. "Get away from that thing before you fall in." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at Rin for good measure.
Without thinking, Rin spoke. "I always come hear and sit. It's so tranquil. Did you know this is where Kagome passes through to her time?" Her eyes snapped open from her calm rest. After the words left her lips, Rin's mind caught up. She slowly looked up to see his nonplussed gaze pointed directly at her. Whoops. Rin had never told her lord of her excursions into the forest alone. That could have been handled a lot more smoothly.
Sesshomaru was going to beat his little brother into the dirt. Do they always let Rin wander about the forests alone and unprotected? He could feel his anger rising. "Do you usually come into the forest alo—"
Before Sesshomaru could finish, the edge of the well crumbled and Rin began falling backwards causing her to let out a bone-chilling scream. Sesshomaru's heart skipped a beat before he snatched her back towards him. Instead of letting her go, he held her tighter and growled. "My point exactly."
Rin let out a shaky laugh at the sight of the now dilapidated well. If Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't have been here… Rin closed her eyes and breathed out a shaky breath as she held onto her Lord.
Realizing that the two of them were still held tightly together, Rin began to blush. I hope he doesn't notice my heart beating so quickly. She laid her head on his chest and was shocked to hear a rapid thumping. His heart is beating so wildly…
Sesshomaru had become acutely aware of the position they were in moments ago, when Rin laid her head on his chest. This is wrong, but… it doesn't feel so. Ignoring his mind for once, Sesshomaru just enjoyed the feeling of Rin pressed against his body and inhaled her scent.
Rin froze when she felt Sesshomaru sniffing her. What is he doing? Rin began to feel a slight rumbling in his chest. Is he… growling… wait… no; it's more like he's… purring. Deciding not to question her Lord's strange behavior, she just laid her head back on his chest and wished for this embrace to never end. I've missed him.
Sesshomaru was surprised at himself and the wild beating of his heart. What am I doing? Why am I holding her like this? I shouldn't feel things like this for a human—no I shouldn't feel things like this at all! Just when he was going to let go of Rin, he heard her breath out content sigh. Damn it all to Hell—I want her.
Before Sesshomaru could speak, thunder clapped from above. The break in the storm had given way to more rain. The demon and the human were soaked in seconds.
Rin's shocked gaze looked at the sky for a second before she let out a happy laugh and broke away from Sesshomaru's embrace. "Come on, milord! I'd prefer to get inside sooner rather than later!"
Sesshomaru felt an invisible smile tugging at his lips for the first time in nearly a decade at the human woman running back towards her hut. A weight that he was unaware of, until that moment, lifted from his shoulders as he realized what Rin was to him. Everyone in her life had been easily categorized, except for him. He never felt like a father or brother to Rin, even when she had been a child. He had been her guardian, nothing more, nothing less. It felt as if a puzzle piece that had been missing for years had fallen into place.
Deciding that he didn't want to leave his human waiting, the demon lord began down the path to his human.
Rin smiled as she saw Sesshomaru heading towards her. Leave it to Sesshomaru to replace the thunderstorms' bad memories with good ones. Rin let out a blinding smile towards her savior and took off down the forest path with a giggle towards her home and her future.
AN: I'm on a roll! I wanted to read Sesshomaru x Rin fics, but I'm all caught up with them. Naturally I made my own. Two in a week, so far! Hopefully this was enough cavity-inducing fluff to sate your appetites'! Don't forget to FAVORITE and REVIEW!