With Or Without You
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nada and make even less off of this...
Summary: Ten years ago, Sesshomaru dropped Rin off in a village while he went to battle with Naraku for the final time. When Sesshomaru returns for the now seventeen year old Rin, she is engaged to the lord of another village's son. She is also not too happy that Fluffy just dropped her off in some remote village one day. Sesshomaruis as calm and collected as always, despite the jealousywithin himand Rin tries to bury her old feelings for her previous guardian, but she has now become a woman and is able to understand what she is feeling for the demon and it isn't a fatherly love. What will she and her sophisticated youkai do?
A/n: Well this is my first attempt at a Sess/Rin fic and I'm really excited about this story. Please, please give it a chance, you won't be disappointed! I know it sounds like every other fic about this couple, but I promise it won't be the usual, he sees her, she's pretty, they fall inlove and it's over kind of fic.It's gonna have all thatangst, drama crap that we all love :P
Chapter One
For Her Protection
The warm, heavy aromas of summer pressed against him as he headed down the glossy green hills. His golden eyes surveyed the area with little interest. The bright colors and pretty scents of the season were not on his mind at the moment, nor were they ever really. He took a in a deep breath, but did not hesitate in his confident stride.
At his heels, as always, was the ever faithful reptilian creature known as Jaken. The green little man followed his master respectively close behind. He continued to jabber on about where they were heading. Excitement, though he tried to play it off as nothing, was radiating in the toad demon's eyes. Sesshomaru also felt that tinge of excitement within him, but he easily pushed it aside and let his calm and collected facade take his anxiety's place.
"I know that she was quite a nuisance m'lord, but it is thoughtful to check in on the mortal. She did save my life once, so I suppose I could see if she is still living."
Sesshomaru simply ignored him, only recognizing the constant drum of Jaken's high pitched voice.
Silver strands of his wispy, long mane blew back as he walked onto the top of the next hill. His fiery eyes looked down to see a small village, where ten years ago, he had left his biggest weakness behind. He could still hear her small voice, see her big, bright brown eyes sparkling to him and could still feel something within him that was protective over the child.
Worry had long since passed from his thoughts about her, but as he stood on the hill overshadowing the small village, he could feel his concerns returning. Somewhere inside, he almost felt happy as well.
'Perhaps I should not disturb her now that she is grown.'
Sesshomaru felt a frown fall upon his face at the doubt within him. Never did he doubt a decision, so why now?
"Well no sense in dawdling, m'lord. Let's head down!" suggested the eager Jaken. With a nod, Sesshomaru led the way down the steep hill.
>
Ten Years Ago...
Wary eyes watched the small child wander into the quaint little village. Her head was hung low and he could smell the bitter scent of salt as she cried. Her shoulders shook with each sob, but she did not turn back as he had ordered her. She was obedient, just like she always was.
The tall, elegant youkai stared as an elderly woman took the child into her arms and spoke with her. Sesshomaru watched as the woman looked up and saw him. At first the woman looked as if she were about to scream. Sesshomaru did not softened the harshness of his glare. After what seemed an eternity, the woman silently agreed by giving him a quick nod and taking the child inside her small home. With that last reassurance, he turned and headed back into the woods with Jaken at his heels.
"Well m'lord, I must say good riddance! Now we can continue our travels in peaceful solitude!" he exclaimed.
Sesshomaru did not speak. He was not quite thrilled at the idea of being alone with Jaken once again.
'I will return for you, Rin.'
The youkai stared straight ahead as Jaken continued to ramble on about the countless possibilities of good fortune they could have with the absence of the little human girl.
Sesshomaru was not as joyful as his follower.
The child's sweet smile and warm laughter had become somewhat refreshing to him. It would seem almost odd without her soft voice at the fires before she and Jaken slept. Her small, but thoughtful gifts to her lord...Sometimes they were a simple flower or shiny rock she'd find particularly special. Whatever it be, they had been gifts to him.
Sesshomaru shook his head to rid himself of such human emotions. He cast his eyes to the side to stare at the small demon beside him.
"Quiet Jaken," he ordered sternly.
The small demon nodded quickly. "Yes m'lord. Whatever you wish."
Sesshomaru shot him another glare and the reptilian creature gulped. His master was obviously not in the best of moods, though it was quite difficult to decipher which mood Sesshomaru was in period.
'So my lord has abandoned the girl to finally finish off Naraku? Could it be that my master has found feelings for this mortal and wishes to protect her by leaving her behind?'
Jaken frowned to himself, trying to keep his beady eyes from catching his master's.
'Impossible. My lord is far too strong and smart to feel for a pathetic child such as Rin.'
Jaken glanced up to the handsome youkai. His golden eyes stared straight ahead, but Jaken could see a tint of turmoil set in his master's eyes. Jaken had followed Sesshomaru long enough to know when he was contemplating something serious. The events were very few when his lord would allow some sort of emotion to pass through his eyes, even on the battlefield.
Jaken kept his observations to himself though, and silently and obediently followed his lord into the dense woods.
Sesshomaru knew that Jaken was watching him carefully. He kept his face blank as he continued to worry about the child. He would not allow even Jaken, who had stayed with him for so many years now, see what he was thinking, what he was feeling.
'I am beginning to be as weak as my damn half-breed, brother,' he cursed himself. He ignored Jaken's concerned stare as he let anger flicker within his golden orbs and headed onward.
>
Rin stared helplessly out into the night. Her big brown eyes were full of tears and were blood shot from crying. Now in the safety of her own room at the lord of the village's house, she was allowed to cry without being babied.
She rested her head upon her small arms and leaned on the windowsill. So many emotions were racing through her small frame.
When Lord Sesshomaru had taken her in just a few months ago, she had felt that she had found a father figure, a guardian. Now she was being stripped of that. Perhaps she was to never be allowed to have a family. It had seemed so perfect and now, her world was crumbling before her once again.
"Lord Sesshomaru," she whimpered quietly, burying her face in her arms.
A fresh onslaught of tears ran down her rosy cheeks and she sniffled softly in the darkness of her room. Once again, she was completely alone.
Down the hall she could hear the loud groups of people, laughing and getting drunk with the lord and his many daughters. Now she was just another daughter of him. The old woman Sesshomaru had instructed her to go to was a cook for the lord of the village. She had taken Rin with her and once the lord's wife had seen Rin, she begged her husband to take in the child as their own.
The old woman had explained the woman's odd behavior, why she had wanted the child so.
Nearly all of the lord's daughters had not received their mother's beauty by birth and were rather heavy and not what you would necessarily call pretty. They had taken after their rather unattractive, fat father. So the entire afternoon the woman had swooned and spoiled Rin.
Rin was quite grateful for what she had received from her new "family" but her mind continued to wander back to what she had felt was her family.
Even if Jaken were cruel to her and constantly belittled her, she did care for him. And whether he admit it or not, she knew he cared for her.
She sniffled again and wiped away the new tears falling relentlessly from her large brown eyes. Without Aun-un's drumming breathing and protective warmth, how was she supposed to fall asleep? She felt scared and defenseless. Were trouble to come here, she knew that none of these people would protect her as her Lord Sesshomaru had. No one could replace him.
'Don't forget me, Lord Sesshomaru. I promise I won't forget you.'
>
A/n: Well there it is, the first chapter. Now I do promise that it will pick up, just give me a lil bit okay? I hope ya'll review, but please don't send any flames...just polite criticism, please. Oh and sorry for the piece of crap dividers, I just couldn't get anything else to work...:P
