Hey, y'all: I am alive! (Just barely). Alas, this pesky thing called college has massively intruded on my ability to mess around on the internet, which sadly means less time for fanficcing. (Is that a word? Probably not, but I don't care). This is a short, written-just-for-fun little thing I did over the summer and finally decided to post. This story was born from me idly wondering one day what would EVER induce Sesshomaru to tell Rin he loves her, and I decided it would have to be a matter of life and death. So I wrote this, just for the heck of it. Hope y'all enjoy.
The Words
The enemy knows Sesshomaru's predilections well. Otherwise he would not have chosen such a ridiculous ultimatum.
Sesshomaru stands, tense and waiting, making no outward sign of his inner turmoil. Rin is tied hand and foot to an enchanted tree, but there is no defeat, no slumping in her posture.
The enemy, an insignificant demon who has only momentarily gained the upper hand, is watching and laughing. He is thoroughly amused, thinking that he has come up with a lovely and diverting little game.
Sesshomaru thinks that this demon has signed his own death warrant.
As for what Rin thinks, there is no telling. Her face is set, not quite serene, but she seems secure enough in the idea that Sesshomaru will save her, as he has always done.
"So, Lord Sesshomaru?" says the demon, grinning unpleasantly. "Will you say a few words? You have only to say what I bid you, and the girl will go free, leaving us to battle."
"And what is it you would have me say?" Sesshomaru asks, sounding bored. He tosses his hair just to drive home the point that this is not worth his time.
The demon's smile widens. "Why... that you love her, of course."
The bottom seems to drop from Sesshomaru's stomach for a moment. How could this demon, who he has never even met before, have hit upon his greatest weaknesses within minutes? First he had taken Rin, right out from under Sesshomaru's nose, while he was visiting her at Inuyasha's village. And now he has confronted Sesshomaru with the feelings he still doesn't understand, still has yet to put a name to.
Sesshomaru looks at Rin, because she is the only thing that matters. Her eyes are wide, and her mouth slightly open in surprise. He tries to tell her with his eyes that it will all be fine. He can only hope she understands. Her cheeks turn red when she meets his gaze, and she smells of fear for the first time.
"Well?" says the demon. "You should say it. This may be the last chance you have to do so. After all, I may defeat you in our battle."
"And why should I submit to your petty conditions?" Sesshomaru continues, fixing the demon with a cold, disinterested stare. "I could kill you easily, here and now."
The demon's hand twitches, and a blade is at Rin's throat. She flinches, and then freezes, remaining very still. Sesshomaru smells her fear shift and flicker. His own hand flies to the hilt of his sword, itching to draw it and do battle, as his heart jumps, just for a moment, in his chest.
"As you can see, you cannot possibly kill me before I fatally wound her," the demon says with a satisfied smirk.
Sesshomaru feels his lips begin to curve upward, baring his fangs. There is a second in which he must struggle to control his expression.
"Hands off your weapon," sneers the demon, pressing his curved blade firmly against Rin's throat. She gasps softly as a thin trickle of blood runs down her neck, the red standing out sharply against the pale skin of her delicate neck.
Sesshomaru instantly holds his hands out in front of him, making it clear that he has given up reaching for a weapon. In a carefully measured tone, he speaks. "How will you prove your intentions? If I comply with your ridiculous demands, how do I know that you will let her go free?"
"Hmm," says the demon. "An interesting dilemma."
"If you unbind her now," Sesshomaru suggests, "I will do as you say and then she can go free."
The demon hesitates, considering. Sesshomaru snickers menacingly. "You've nothing to fear from her. It's not as though she could harm you, even if she were foolish enough to try." And my Rin is no fool.
The demon nods, and swiftly cuts through the tendrils binding Rin. She falls to the ground in an ignominious heap, then sits up straight and meets Sesshomaru's eyes once more. He takes her in with a sweep of his eyes. The cut on her neck is minor, and he can see no damage other than that.
The relief does not last. The blade is quickly at Rin's throat again.
"Now would be a good time to say it, unless you have decided that her life does not mean enough to you to bother," says the foe cheerfully.
There is nothing to be gained by refusing. It's not as though this upstart will live to tell anyone of today's events.
"I love her," Sesshomaru says expressionlessly.
Rin's lips tremble.
"You don't really sound like you mean it," says the demon in a sing-song way.
Sesshomaru grits his teeth, muffling the sound of a growl.
"Say it again," the demon prods. The sunlight glints off his blade as the point dances lightly from Rin's throat to her breast. A visible shiver runs through the girl, but her hands are clenched into fists. She is angry now, as well as afraid.
"I love her," Sesshomaru repeats, and this time he speaks with heated anger. First this idiot demon dared threaten Rin, and now he is wasting Sesshomaru's time. "Is that good enough for you?"
"You've convinced me," says the demon smugly, "but how about convincing her whom you love?"
Rin made a restless movement, her eyes flashing. "That's not ness…"
The blade presses more firmly against her breast, and she goes still, breathing heavily. Sesshomaru makes an involuntary movement towards her, but catches himself at the last minute. This time, the growl really does escape his lips.
"You are toying with me," Sesshomaru hisses. "Those who do that do not tend to live long."
"You are defying me," says the demon, rolling his eyes. "And those who do that do not tend to last long. What are you waiting for? Do you wish for her to die? I will be only too happy to grant your wish..."
"No need," Sesshomaru says at once. He looks at Rin, still so ridiculously brave and confident, and with an oddly overreacting heart, he speaks aloud the words he has told her a thousand times with his very silence.
"I love you, Rin."
He says it flatly, without inflection. But in his eyes, the truth burns. And he still does not know whether he wants her to see it or not.
He thinks, though, by the softening in her gaze, that she does.
"Do you love her enough to die for her?" the demon taunts.
"You should be more concerned with the fact that I love her enough to kill for her… and I have," Sesshomaru grates. The threat weaves through his words like poison.
"Very well, then," the enemy says, and Sesshomaru is grimly satisfied to feel fear from this remarkably stupid demon for the first time. As the blade is moved away from Rin, she visibly relaxes, but does not take her eyes from it.
"Go, then, girl, and do not return. The victor will find you... and you will belong to him," says the demon carelessly. This only adds to Sesshomaru's growing rage.
Rin rises to her feet and takes several steps away from the demon. Then she turns and speaks to him quite calmly. "I won't be seeing you again," she says. Ignoring the demon's answering smirk, she turns towards Sesshomaru.
"Don't be too long, Lord Sesshomaru," she whispers. He nods to her, surprised, and she nods back and then quickly walks out of sight, through the trees.
Sesshomaru's inner calm returns the moment he is sure Rin is safe. He can fight now, undistracted, and bring down this insolent foe who has dared to bring him to his metaphorical knees.
It almost would have worked. But the demon had not counted on one thing. There is nothing Sesshomaru would have in exchange for Rin's life. Not even his pride. And that must mean he loves her, even if it is a bad idea.
He draws his sword.
"Time to die," he says conversationally, as his eyes turn red.
The fight is short and sweet. Sesshomaru could torture the foe; make him suffer as he so richly deserves, but after all, Rin is waiting for him.
He follows Rin's scent to the base of a tree, where she is sitting in wait for him. She looks up at the sound of his approach, and a smile lights her face.
"Lord Sesshomaru," she says, no more shyly than usual, as she gets to her feet. "Thank you for saving me... again."
He inclines his head in a nod.
"I suppose we should go back to the village now."
He nods once again. Rin turns and heads for the village, and Sesshomaru walks at her side. Though he is filled with the inner satisfaction of victory, part of him cannot relax. Is she not she going to ask him anything? Is she not going to mention the demon's ultimatum?
She does not. She remains quiet, and Sesshomaru cannot understand why.
Then, he feels something brushing his hand, and Rin's scent brushing his nose. He looks down and, with a slight thrill of surprise, sees Rin's fingertips touching his fist. He relaxes slightly, and her hand slips effortlessly into his. And he realizes that she has known all along how he felt, maybe even better than he knew. She had not needed his words to confirm it.
She squeezes his hand, and he, startled at the comfort this small gesture could provide, squeezes back tentatively.
They walk back to the village holding hands. Not a word is spoken between them. Not a word needs to be.
Fin
Hope y'all enjoyed it. Please review!