New story: Just Curious

Summary: Nine years have passed since the defeat of Naraku.Rin is now a young woman, at the ripe age of 17. What happens when she notices Kagome's mate mark, and starts asking Sesshomaru questions about mating?

Name Of Chapter: The Start

…

"Hey, Kagome, what is that on your shoulder?"

The woman in question Kagome, paused folding the lilac kimono she was holding. Kagome's chocolate eyes were questioning as she hesitantly felt her left shoulder, afraid it might be a bug.

"Oh," she exclaimed as she felt the holes in her skin. "This is my mate mark that InuYasha gave me." Kagome's cheeks turned a slight pink.

"Mate mark," the woman said curiously, an eyebrow raised. "Like a mark to say you are mated to someone?"

"Exactly like that, Rin." Kagome looked at the teenager beside her and a confused look crossed her face. "You mean to tell me, that after all this time encountering demons you have never heard of the mark?"

The teenager, Rin, shook her head. Rin's brunette hair was to the middle of her back. She wore a simple green and tan kimono that Sesshomaru gifted her last month. Her hazel eyes sparkled with innocence.

"No, never really thought about it," Rin replied. She looked at Kagome, her cheeks a slight pink. Despite Kagome being in her late twenties, she looked like she was a teenager. Ebony wavy hair that was in a bun, chocolate eyes that held laughter. She had on a red kimono with the top wrapped around her waist, revealing a white tank top. The weather was warm and because it was just her and Rin in the hut, Kagome felt comfortable taking off the top to her kimono.

At first, Rin didn't notice the mark because it was underneath Kagome's strap. Then the strap moved, revealing the voided skin.

"When did you get it," Rin asked. "I haven't noticed it before now."

"Never really cared to show it before. Or make it public." Kagome shrugged as she finished folding the laundry. "Some of villagers, especially the elders, are still hesitant about a demon living in the village."

Rin looked at floor. She had been living in Kaede's village for the past nine years and has noticed how some of the villagers' act towards InuYasha with scorn. Some of them have even made rude comments towards him, as well as Kagome. She didn't understand how people could be so cruel towards the two best demons she knew.

Whenever Sesshomaru came to visit, most of the villagers were too frightened to say anything.

Rin laughed a little, remembering when a villager had screamed "a demon" at Sesshomaru. In turn, Lord Sesshomaru looked at him with his coldest glare. The villager had run screaming, scared Sesshomaru was going to strike him.

Rin looked at Kagome, biting her lip, wondering if she should ask her the question she was thinking about.

"Kagome." Kagome looked at the woman across from her. "What is it like, being mated to a demon?" Rin's cheeks turned pink.

Kagome smiled, a dreamy look crossing her face. "It's a feeling like nothing else. InuYasha and I have a stronger bond and we can tell how each other is feeling. There is no guess work. We were close before mating and it just strengthened afterwards. There is this feeling, but there are no words to describe it."

"Do you think Lord Sesshomaru has a mate?" Rin blurted out and she clamped her hands over her mouth. Her heart beat fast in her chest; fearful the answer would be yes.

Over the last two years, Rin has begun feeling something towards her Lord Sesshomaru that is not of what a daughter should feel towards her father figure. As it should be because he protected her on their travels and taught her about life. Rin began feeling envious at thought of another woman, demon or human, in the arms of her Lord Sesshomaru.

Her heart skipped beats at the sight of him when he came to visit. And her stomach did flips. And she lost her breath. Oh, and when his ice golden eyes met hers, it was if time momentarily stopped.

Kagome laughed slightly and smiled at her friend. "That is a question you will have to ask him."

"M-m-maybe I will," Rin stammered as her palms became sweaty. "N-n-next time he c-c-comes here."

…

A week passed since Rin's conversation with Kagome.

Rin couldn't stop thinking about all the questions she wanted to ask Sesshomaru. Why was she so nervous? Was she afraid he would be mated to another woman? Has he ever loved another woman before?

Rin breathed, trying to calm her racing heart. She was outside Kagome and InuYasha's hut, sitting on the bank of the stream, careful not to soil her favorite kimono Sesshomaru had given her. Her feet were in the water as she watched the occasional fish swim by and giggled when one of them nibbled on her pinkie toe.

"Rin." Rin's head shot up towards the familiar voice. She smiled from ear to ear, not expecting him to visit today.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin exclaimed as she got off the ground and embraced Sesshomaru. Suddenly, Rin realized what she was doing was not proper and jumped back. She bowed her head, not wanting Sesshomaru to see her embarrassment. "My apologies, Lord Sesshomaru. I did not think before I embraced you. Please forgive me, milord."

Sesshomaru looked at the woman in front of him and chuckled slightly. She had nothing to fear with him. He wasn't going to strike her for simply showing her excitement.

Rin looked at Sesshomaru when he chuckled. Sesshomaru's long silver hair was to the back of his knees. He wore a red and blue kimono with matching hakamas. His mighty sword Tensaiga was tucked in his yellow obi, that also secured his spiked armor. His tail hung over his shoulder. Rin looked into his eyes and her breath caught in her throat.

"Hello, Sesshomaru." Rin and Sesshomaru looked and saw a man with a striking resemblance to Sesshomaru. Long silver hair, golden eyes, but with dog ears on the top of his head. He wore a red kimono and blue hakamas.

"InuYasha," Sesshomaru greeted his half-brother.

Nine years have passed since the defeat of Naraku and the two demon brothers relationship has been amiable. It took a while to accept InuYasha as who he was. However, Sesshomaru had to trust InuYasha to take of Rin in a human village until he saw fit. Kaede had told him Rin needed to learn the ways of a human. And besides, as a great Lord, Sesshomaru could not have a young human woman around him.

"Hello, big brother," Kagome said as she stood by her mate. She laughed as she was smiling. "What a pleasant surprise."

Sesshomaru gave her one of his signature cold glares. InuYasha snickered and Rin giggled behind her hand.

"Rin, I must speak with you," Sesshomaru said, stopping Rin's giggling. "Alone." Sesshomaru gave a pointed look to his brother and his mate.

"Yes, milord," Rin replied, smiling.

Sesshomaru began walking away with Rin trailing behind him. She stopped, just out of habit, and plucked a yellow flower from the earth. She smiled, inhaling the sweet scent.

"This smells wonderful, Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said, looking at Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru nodded. They continued walking with Sesshomaru being silent while Rin filled him in on what senseless things have been going on since he last visited.

Suddenly Rin stopped in the middle of her sentence about Kagome teaching her herbs, and looked around her.

"What is wrong, Rin," Sesshomaru asked as she was looking in the bushes.

"Where is Master Jaken," Rin said, a puzzled look on her face. Rin was surprised Jaken was not with him. Sesshomaru's servant was dutifully following him around everywhere he went. It was unusual if the toad demon wasn't on Sesshomaru's tail.

Sesshomaru looked at the woman next to him with a soft look, a smile at the corner of his lips.

"Jaken is with his mate in the Western Lands," Sesshomaru replied.

Rin gasped and her eyes widened. "Master Jaken has a mate? I thought I would never live to see that. That frog is so crotchety."

Sesshomaru smiled more at the young woman. He always seemed to smile more nowadays.

I wonder if I should ask him now, Rin thought as she remembered back to her conversation with Kagome. I hope he doesn't get mad at me.

They walked in silence for a while. Rin was silently gathering her courage to ask Sesshomaru her question.

Finally, he stopped in a small clearing near the Sacred tree. Sesshomaru looked at the woman beside him, seeing a conflicted look on her face. He knew she was thinking about something. He knew her well enough to know that whenever she wasn't talking, Rin was thinking deep about something.

"What is it, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked. He saw her take a deep breath twice and look at him.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she started, her voice a little shaky. She swallowed past a lump in her throat. Why was this so hard to say?

Sesshomaru stayed silent, letting Rin find her words. Surely whatever she wanted to ask was not terrible.

Rin looked at Sesshomaru, apprehension in her brown eyes. Finally, she spoke:

"Do you have a mate?"

To Be Continued…

Well, how was this for a beginning? Don't worry, plenty more to come! I know I have 2 other stories to work on but this is going to be awesome. Trust me! Well, off to work on Because Of A Wish and Misa!

R&R Kindly please!

Drama Kagome