A/N: Don't own any of these characters. I'll update as often as I can.


The noise of the diner filled the dark haired girl's ears as she walked beside her best friend and the boy she just barely knew but followed to the small diner anyway. Kagome had huffed, and even as they sat down, gave her best friend a dark look. Rin looked away from her, pretending the menu was far more interesting.

Rin looked to her side at the boy, Bankotsu. He was handsome enough she supposed, at least handsome enough for her to entertain the thought of going home with him.

Suddenly Bankotsu stood from his place on the booth next to her and walked over to a very tall, silver haired man who had walked into the diner. Rin was only seventeen but she knew a demon when she saw one. The magenta stripes on the man's hands and face were a dead give away. He wore nice clothes, business casual, but his face was as stoic and passionless as she had ever seen. He and Bankotsu appeared to exchange pleasantries before both headed back to the booth, the demon sitting beside Kagome, across from Rin, and Bankotsu reclaiming his previous seat.

"Kagome, Rin, this is Sesshomaru. We used to go to school together," Bankotsu explained.

Sesshomaru nodded curtly to both girls, but his eyes came to rest on Rin and lingered. Rin stared into the amber eyes bearing into her own.

"You have beautiful eyes," Rin said in an even tone, though inside her chest she felt on fire. She was being extremely brazen, and though she often had no problem saying what was on her mind, she really wished she had held that one back.

Bankotsu shot her a surprised glance before turning his eyes onto his old friend, waiting for a reaction.

"Thank you," Sesshomaru replied. He and Rin continued to stare into each other's eyes for a moment before Kagome broke the spell that seemed to have captured them both.

"Well this has been a lot of fun but I think Rin and I should head home and let you guys catch up," she laughed nervously, her eyes nearly popping out of her head at Rin, desperately trying to convey her intentions. She would refuse to leave without Rin following right behind her.

Defeated, Rin nodded and thank Bankotsu for a good time. She told Sesshomaru it was nice to meet him, avoiding his eyes as she felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. Kagome grabbed her hand and led her towards the door of the diner. As Rin went through the door she glanced behind her shoulder, her eyes meeting the amber orbs that were watching her go.

The spark of electricity she felt in her heart remained until she forced herself to look away and continue out the door.

...

Tears streamed down Rin's face as she waited for Sesshomaru to come pick her up at the one bedroom apartment she shared with her fiance, Naraku. She hated calling him, hated telling him what happened, but she had no one else to turn too. She knew she should call off the wedding, which remained only two weeks away. But deep down inside, she knew she wouldn't.

The buzz of a sports car could be heard in the distance and she knew Sesshomaru was nearly there. After the night they first met they had talked very briefly, at least as much as the silent demon was willing, before he decided to give his ex girlfriend Kagura another chance. Rin had understood and they remained friends.

It wasn't long after that she had met Naraku. He was charming and intelligent and had quickly swept Rin off her feet and right into his arms. It only took a few weeks for a proposal and another month or two for them to begin living together. There was no one to stop Rin. She was eighteen now. She had become an orphan long ago, and though Kagome's family had taken her in and raised her, they held no legal authority. Now the impending vows made her throat feel tight and she tried to relax it as Sesshomaru pulled up.

Sesshomaru, who was now newly single, having dumped Kagura a few weeks ago, gave Rin a concerned look as she wiped her tears away. She got into the car and they rode in silence back to Sesshomaru's house.

When they pulled up to the large mansion, Rin opened her door, wanting to speak, but finding herself unable too. Sesshomaru worked for his father at the massive company he had founded decades ago. The entire Takihashi family was rich beyond belief. Her friend's home was tasteful, something she appreciated in him. The home was three stories made of soft creamy stone with heavy walnut colored wood accenting the windows and doors. Bushes lined his sidewalk, neatly trimmed with flowers bursting in colorful assortments in front of them.

She followed Sesshomaru into his home and up the staircase to his rooms. They both ignored the green toad rushing to Sesshomaru's side. Sesshomaru opened his wooden bedroom doors and softly guided Rin into the room, shutting the doors behind him. Turning to her, his eyes expectant, he sat down in the plush chair in front of his desk, never taking his eyes from hers.

Rin sighed, tears creeping into the corners of her eyes again. They had stayed friends but were not close. Why had she called him again? She shifted her stance to her right leg, forgetting for a moment what had occurred so recently, and winced as the weight of her body hit her thigh. Sesshomaru's watchful gaze caught her discomfort and he tilted his chin up slightly at her, silently asking her to break her quiet disposition.

Word escaped Rin and she found her throat dry. The past few hours seemed blurry and dreamlike, the pain across her back, legs, and behind the only thing anchoring her to the horrifying events that led her here. Sesshomaru sensed her struggle and remained patient.

Finally, taking a deep breath, Rin turned her back to him, pulling the edge of her stretchy yoga pants down and the bottom of her pink tank top up. She felt the air around her become tense as Sesshomaru took in the long, thick, black and purple bruises that began at her mid-back and appeared to descend down her thighs.

"He is a pathetic excuse for a demon or man," Sesshomaru bit out scathingly, looking away from the girl in disgust. He moved back to his chair and turned to his desk, shuffling papers and looking over documents for the next day's meeting.

Rin sniffled her tears back, thankful she did not have to say the story out loud. He had gotten mad, so had she, and they fought. He roared in her face, she had slapped him away,only infuriating her fiance further. He had whipped a studded belt hanging in the closet and beaten her, making screams she did not know existed burst from her throat. When the neighbor called the cops she covered for Naraku; quickly putting on a smile and insisting it was a misunderstanding. The police had urged for Naraku to sleep else where for the night, and so he did. But Rin couldn't bear to sit there alone.

Sesshomaru had not hesitated at all to come get her. She watched him, his back still to her shivering form. She walked to his bed and climbed in as a deep exhaustion overwhelmed her. Rin nestled into his king size, red satin sheets and rested her head on his pillow.

Rin awoke later, tears staining her cheeks, calling out a mumbled name. She saw a flash of white and warmth cradled her body, lulling her back to sleep. When she woke back up, the first rays of sunshine were pouring into Sesshomaru's bedroom window over his desk. Her eyes opened to find Sesshomaru's closed lids in her line of vision. She stayed still and looked over his flawless, pale face. She reached out a white hand and stroked his face softly.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Rin crept from his embrace and slid out of his bed, top-toeing to his door. With one last look at his still form, she opened the door and walked out.