Rin stared at her reflection in the river. Her hair was longer now, and it fell in dark mocha tresses down her back. It was still straight and soft looking, and her bangs had grown long enough, that Kagome had cut them into several layers that framed her heart shaped face. This hair cut did make her cheek bones look higher and her face look longer, more slender, feminine, less girlish and more womanly. Kagome had cut her hair with what she called a "scissors" a very useful tool from the future, and she had described the cut as a "face framing hair cut" that was apparently commonly worn among the most beautiful women in the future who were called "models". Rin sighed wistfully thinking how incredible it was that there were women in the future so beautiful it was there job to just look stunning, and people would come from miles away to see them and take their "pictures". This concept was something that completely confused and intrigued her as well, and she still didn't quite understand, however from what Kagome described these pictures made it so others could capture someone's image in a frame and look at them forever.
But as she shook her self away from her reverie of thoughts, she was brought back to her reflection and she must admit this hair cut really made her face look older and more symmetrical. Hair came in soft silky strands framing her cheekbones, and as it reached her chin the layers stopped and fanned out to the longer layers that hung past her breast and too her mid waists. She furtively looked around to make sure no one was looking and admired her breasts, or at least the outlines of what she could see of them from outside her kimono. She was very pleased that they had finally started to take a rounder shape in the past couple years. She was relieved since at 15 she feared she would never grow full breasts but they had actually gotten quite bigger the past couple years. She blushed at the fact that she was thinking about this and was thankful no one was around to see her. She was supposed to be washing her linens, and in fact was almost finished washing the clothes, when she ended up kneeling by the river and getting caught up in her thoughts. This was something that happened quite more often since she had grown older.
She had to admit she felt slightly more womanly though at the same time she still often felt like a child inside. Full of curiosity, care free joy, impulsivity, wonder at the world, and playfulness. Tomorrow she would be turning 18 and she was sure that Kagome was planning a gathering to celebrate her entering womanhood. She thought back to their conversation a couple months ago,
"But I thought I become a woman when I started my monthly cycle?" when she got her "period" which is what Kagome called it. She was able to bear children since she turned 14 years old so didn't that mean she was a woman? Kagome told her how in her time girls were not considered women until they turned 18 and that is when they were truly mature physically, emotionally, and intellectually and treated like adults. She was about to turn 18 years and it was strange. It was only a day away and she certainly didn't feel any different than she did the day before and she doubted she would feel different tomorrow from her usual self. Still Kagome insisted it was a very big deal and they would need to celebrate with her. Celebrate what though? She still didn't understand. It was just another year, another day…she felt the same. It's not like she was getting married or anything big was going to happen.
A with that thought her thoughts drifted far away to wondering again about him. Where he was traveling…what was he doing? What demons was he battling? When would he return to visit her again? With that she sighed a little. And who knows if Lord Sesshomaru would even be there tomorrow to wish her a happy birthday. He had been gone a lot longer than expected from their last visit. Usually he came every 1 to 2 months. However they had all received word from his ward Master Jaken, that his travels this time would be keeping him longer than the typical time span for his next visit. The last time she saw her Lord was over 6 months ago. She felt a bad feeling resting in the pit of her stomach and she scolded herself for harboring this worry. She felt she needed to have more faith in him. She knew he was a strong Demon lord and he could handle himself but she couldn't help but feel a little anxious as he normally visited her much more frequently than this. There was a very low chance he would be here tomorrow and she felt her heart sink a little at this. She knew he always tried to visit her as frequently as he could but at the same time he was Demon lord with much responsibilities to watch over his lands.
She pictured his handsome face in her mind and felt her heart stir ever so slightly. Immediately at these feelings she swallowed and blinked her eyes shut tightly. no. stop. Do not think of him so fondly. He is not to be thought of so sentimentally. She scolded herself.
When she was a little she so desperately wanted to please Lord Sesshomaru. He had saved her from a terrible fate and allowed her to follow he and master Jaken on their travels. He had taught her to be self-sufficient, and at the same time he looked after her and protected her. She never felt more safe, and secure than when he was around. She so desperately wanted his approval and attention. For him to be proud of her, for him to love her. A misty distant haze settled over her eyes and she remembered her childish thoughts and ways during the time. She cringed thinking how she had impulsively put herself in danger and caused him so much trouble trailing along behind him, yet he never scolded or was harsh with her.
She was reminded of the loving protection her father had tried to offer her to protect her from the wolf demons which he and her mother ultimately died at the fangs of. Lord Sesshomaru had represented a father figure to her for so long. And though he rarely if ever expressed any fatherly affection or endearment to her, she knew through his protective actions that he cared for her well-being, for which she was grateful. She had not been cared for since her parents were killed at the wolf demons fangs. The villagers treated her cruelly calling her a lowly orphan. They looked at her as an insect, a pariah who could only steal their food supply and leech off others. So the fact that Lord Sesshomaru stepped in and not just tolerated her, but treated her kindly, and protected her, meant the world to her.
So from that time on, she knew she would follow Sesshomaru-sama to the ends of the earth and be his loyal follower. She thought of him as a fatherly protector for all those years. Yet As she grew older and had already been living in the human village for a few years, he would come to visit and at some point in his visits something changed between them…or rather perhaps something changed in her and only she seemed to notice. She no longer really looked at him and saw a father but rather, as she grew she saw some one else. Still the same strong stoic Demon who she followed all these years, but something else. The last year (since she turned 17) she realized she was thinking about him more and more.
She pictured his handsome face, in her mind she ran over his features in her head. His long silver hair, the curve of his angular jaw line, his diamond shaped face. His amber eyes so striking, staring coldly with a potent steely glare. The crescent shaped mark on his forehead, the pink tinted streaks across his cheeks. She felt herself start to get nervous when he was near. Her heart beat quickened just a little in her chest when she heard he was coming to visit. She found herself stumbling over her words and saying silly foolish things. She felt embarrassed at times. A crush…that's all this was a crush…it is only natural that I would start to feel this way, when I haven't seen him in so long, and I have such strong admiration toward him. Its not a big deal…this is just Lord Sesshormaru. He practically raised me. Damn why am I reacting this way around him? It did confuse her as she had up until she turned 17 always felt very comfortable and care-free with him. Its only natural that I would confuse feelings of intense admiration and loyalty towards my Lord for something else. Besides it not like he would ever notice or feel anything more than platonic love for me. He probably still thinks of me as that annoying little girl I was. We haven't spent much time together for over 10 years.
She sighed shaking away these thoughts again. Suddenly she heard a strong yet concerned voice in the distance. "Rin?" the voice was a low baritone and rang in the evening air. She stood at the streams edge and picked up her basket full of washed clothes. She had not noticed how late it had gotten.
"Here I am Kohaku!" she waved her hand in the air, so he could clearly see her in the distance. Even from here she could sense the relief spreading across his face.
She saw as a handsome looking Kohaku ran towards her in his demon slayer outfit. She admired his lean muscular frame as he ran toward her his eyebrows furrowed together in worry. He looked a lot like he did back in those days when she first met him. Still the same big deep brown eyes any woman could drown in, still the same olive colored skin with some freckles spattered over the bridge of his nose, and cheeks. His dark chocolate hair was still in a short pony tail high on his head. However he had grown a lot taller and was a at least a foot over her head if they stood back to back. His once lanky frame had grown to an athletic, lean, toned frame as he had spent the past several years training as a demon slayer in the Northwest mountains. He had only recently returned from his most recent training in the western region about 1 month ago. He was currently staying with Sango and Miroku and their 3 children until it was time for him to go back to training other demon slayers.
He told them he got a few months hiatus to return to their village, rest, and visit with family and friends. Since he had been back he and Rin had been inseperable. She was amazed at how quickly she had warmed up to him again. It felt like no time had passed at all since he left. He was about 4 years older than her but she never felt like he thought of her as just an annoying little kid like some of the other older kids in the village used to treat her. Whenever he came to visit in the past he was always willing to spend time with her, indulging in her childish games, running in the field, picking wild flowers, throwing rocks in the stream, or laying by the river catching fish or finding tree frogs. Since Lord Sesshomaru had forced her to live in the human village, Kohaku over the years had become like a haven for her lonely soul, her confidant, and loyal friend. He was her best friend she even dared to label him in her mind (though to say that aloud would mortify her and probably Kohaku too so she kept the "title" to herself).
Rin was pleased to learn that Kohaku's personality hadn't changed either. He was still relatively quiet and reserved, kind, playful, easy going, and easy to talk to. He would always listen to what she had to say, and she felt so comfortable around him that she told him whatever was on her mind. It had been 2 years this time since he'd left for his last training mission. 2 long years since she saw him. And man how lonely those two years were even with Lord Sesshomaru's visits. Sure Lord Sesshomaru would visit and bring her gifts and she enjoyed spending time with him, but she could never talk to Lord Sesshomaru the way she could open up to Kohaku. And Lord Sesshomaru's visits were always short, and then he too would leave and she was alone again, but without Kohaku around to talk, play, or laze around and pass the time with. At first when she heard of his returning she was nervous that he might have changed, or their relationship might have changed just as she felt her's did with Lord Sesshomaru, however as soon as she saw him he smiled sweetly, almost bashfully, but gave her a warm familiar hug, and suggested they go on a hike the following morning and catch up. He was the same gentle, kind, unassuming, yet vigilant, and skilled demon slayer she first met all those years ago. His eyes still held the same deep sadness however it had lightened over the years. The guilt from his past transgressions subsided as slowly he was able to forgive himself for all the sins he committed when he was under Naraku's influence.
"Rin, I was a worried." He approached her a light blush staining his cheeks. Though she was sure it was just from the physical exercise he expended running to meet her.
"Worried?" she questioned seeming confused. She looked up at him.
"Well Sango and Miroku said you had gone to the river to wash clothes hours ago and they hadn't seen you return."
"Oh, you were looking for me, were you?" she smirked at him playfully and raised an eye brow. Surprised at the deep blush that her teasing evoked (he was such a sweet, innocent soul it was so easy to get a reaction from him, sometimes Rin couldn't help but tease him).
Kohaku closed his eyes and turned to face the village, his fists clenched together. Was he upset? Rin wondered shocked. His voice sounded steady enough as he started to speak, but Rin couldn't be sure he wasn't trying to hide his face, "Well no…I mean yes...erm it's just, I thought we agreed to meet up tonight…you know that surprise I was going to show you…?"
Rin felt herself flush in embarrassment and shame that she had forgotten about her promise to him. "Oh Kohaku! I'm so sorry! I completely forgot."
He looked back at her, his face seemed to be his normal olive tone again. "Don't feel bad. I knew I should have reminded you. It's just that its getting dark now….do you still want to go?" she thought she saw his cheeks turn a light shade of pink again but she couldn't be sure as it was getting darker by the minute.
"Yes of course. I definitely want to go!" his frame seemed to lighten at her enthusiasm and his head lifted and his shoulders rose excitedly.
"Alright great!" she'd never heard him so exuberant sounding before. "Come on let's head back to the village and get Kirara and we can be off."
"Kirara?" she asked confused again. "Where exactly are we going that we need to ride Kirara?"
She heard the light humor in his voice and almost felt his smirk when he replied, "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise dummy!" before she could retort he swiftly took her basket of clothes under one arm, and snatched her hand in his, and started to pull her in a run back toward the village. He chuckled softly as they ran, and Rin felt a familiar happy feeling rising in her chest. She felt excitement and a nervous apprehension.
"Are we going on an little adventure then Kohaku?" she asked. He didn't respond but she felt her heart beating faster as his hand squeezed her fingers in reply, and he continued to pull her gently yet firmly in the direction of the setting sun.
