A/N: I have been meaning to write something about two of my favorite things, sexy dark characters like Sesshomaru and the Beauty and the Beast movie… now my story is slightly farfetched in comparison to the original story but I can assure you it was inspired by it.

Anyway, this fanfic is rated M for later chapters and it is OBVIOUSLY about a relationship between Sesshomaru and Rin, most of the story is based on what little information exists about those two on the internet. Hope you like it, please read on!

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with cute, sexy, dog demons…

CHAPTER 1

The memories that bind us together

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"Sesshomaru-sama!" he heard her call a few feet away from him clearly laughing

"Seshomaru-sama please, you'll miss it!"

Coming out of the forest they had been walking through he found the young girl laughing hysterically. He had considered what could possibly be exiting her so much and ended up sure it was nothing more than a rabbit or another furry animal, the girl seemed to have outgrown everything but her taste for small fur covered creatures.

A small rare smile appeared on his lips upon these thoughts.

He looked at the river and after founding it empty he searched both sides, quickly finding her near the river bend at his left and what would be his surprise to see water droplets twirling around her like diamonds.

His face didn't betray him yet inside the confusion had turned his insides. No human could do what she was doing and he was sure she had not done it before.

"Sesshomaru-sama…" her voice seemed disheartened now "have I done something wrong?"

He knew his face didn't show the questions rising inside him yet he also knew the girl had come to know him probably better than any other subject of his could ever get; even Jaken his long time faithful servant.

"Who taught you how to do that Rin?" he asked in his usual monotone.

"No one my lord… I just… I'm not even sure I did it" she lowered her head and looked at her feet down in the water, her own eyes watering up. Diamonds fell back into the river creating a sound like pouring rain.

"Then who would you say did such a thing around you" he asked but this time a delicate eye brow shot up with wonder.

"The water? It looked… happy and then it exploded around me" she said the sadness suddenly gone and again she felt giddy and curious. Sesshomaru looked at her and at how her emotions changed swiftly, so quickly and leaving no trace of the emotion before in the blink of an eye. She had been too emotional lately and that only meant another change was approaching.

"It is not common for humans to do what you did" he said as he walked towards a big tree nearby to where she was and sat down reclining his back over its trunk "you will not repeat it unless or you will be bothered by those who live with you in the human village"

Rin moved from her spot and walked to where he was, turning back around her head only to look up at the sky and at the sun slowly going down. He could already see the disappointment in her eyes and smell the unshed tears, knowing their time together would soon be over.

"This Rin did not do something wrong… it isn't something this Rin should hide, as if this Rin were ashamed of it" her lips puckered into a pout, she was stubborn and he knew that, what she had been able to do was something she had been curious and happy about, she would not leave it so easily.

Yet…

"Rin" the demon lord looked directly at her eyes and she moved as if beckoned to do so just by the deep gold in front of her, then calmly sat down beside him with her legs bent on her knees her bottom resting on her feet. "You must do as I say, Rin"

Something wavered on her big brown eyes and she looked down to the hands on her lap.

"This Rin promises not do it again…"

Her eyes were still shinning with tears yet he could tell she was trying hard to hold them back.

"However, we will see to learn more about it when this Sesshomaru returns"

Her eyes immediately brightened and she showed him her classic big grin. Then she moved closer to him resting her head over his side, the soft fabric of the kimono and the man inside it cushioning her head and helping her ease into a light sleeping state.

Sesshomaru did not sleep along but remained awake while she rested, it had been an agitated day for the girl and he was sure she was pretty tired. At 11 she was already surpassing his expectations for a human not to mention a human girl, strong determined and cunning. He felt proud.

As the moon appeared and moved up in the sky they walked back to Kaede's house at the entrance of the village. There he paused before he called the attention of any human; they already knew he was around and he did not want to call for any more unwanted attention from them specially to avoid creating any other reaction more than the fear floating in the air. No matter how long his half brother cohabitated with them they would never be anything more than pathetic cowards who feared what they didn't understand. Looking back at the girl in front of him his yellow eyes warmed into a golden honeyed color. There was one human above them and she was barely in her teens.

"Sesshomaru-sama… when will you come back?" she asked shyly

"Before the cherries blossom" was his curt answer.

She smiled widely and bowed low to him.

"Arigatou Sesshomaru-sama!" she looked up at him and her smiled diminished a little "have a safe trip my lord… This Rin will be waiting for your return and keep her promise"

He remained standing there for a little while, looking at the figure move towards her house and then disappears through an open door.

"I didn't understand why you would visit her brother… yet now, what I don't understand is why you keep visiting instead of taking her with you since you seem to be pretty attached to her."

The voice of his half brother brought the mask back on his face and he turned to walk back into the forest from which he had come. But the hanyo ignored his retreat and continued…

"You know you'll only hurt her by continuing to visit. If you pretend her to be only human then leave her to live only among humans… It's already awkward to have her go talking like you to other people by mistake"

"Inuyasha!" another voice cut in and he considered flying quickly out of there.

"Sesshomaru…" the cool calm voice of Inuyasha's wife stopped his already retreating form.

"I wish to speak to you… just a moment"

Motherhood had changed the energetic girl into a wise and strong woman, she was followed by everyone on the village without doubt and Sesshomaru knew she had taken a liking for Rin; taking care of her education and training her in different areas she considered the little girl needed training for. So he turned around again this time to face her directly and ignored completely the fuming hanyo beside them.

"Has Rin-chan mentioned any possible suitor to you?"

The topic was something he had expected since Rin was becoming of age yet it still tasted sour in every possible sense… right now the sourness was spreading quickly from his ears to his tongue.

"No, she hasn't"

"Well… I've never being one to insist on marrying so young yet… it is the custom of this people and it would be wise for her to consider some offers in the long run… although I believe she's already interested in someone else and if that is the case then maybe she would mention him to you and maybe she wouldn't need to consider anyone else"

He could tell she was obviously tiptoeing around the topic and blatantly ignoring the words that would give away any and all vital information she could give him, her tone was calm and serious and the woman would never bother him unnecessarily but something beneath her speech tickled the back of his mind.

"No, as I said, she has not mentioned any suitor… or any boy at all"

"Oh… I can't help but worry about it, in this time it is normal for a young girl to marry yet I do not wish for her to make a rash decision, if she's not interested in someone already… maybe you could convince her to not turn down her suitors so quickly… to meet them and get to know them at least"

Now the sourness turned bitter and an anger begun to boil in his stomach, this topic was nothing he was interested in and it was nothing he should be wasting his time on.

"I don't see why that is of any concern to this Sesshomaru"

She had lowered her face as she spoke yet now she looked up right in to his eyes like searching for something, for an answer to a question she had not asked out loud.

"I see…"she said their eyes still connected "I thought you cared for Rin-chan as I do, thought you would do what's good for her… for her happiness"

Something constricted inside him and he felt the anger chocking him.

"I will come back to visit, take care of her until I return"

He could say no more and he quickly turned into a ball of light and lifted brightly in to the sky. In the distance he barely heard the exclamations Inuyasha threw at him along with some profanities he couldn't care less about.

The change he feared would come faster than he had expected.


It was nearly sunrise when he awoke cold under the covers of his futon. Long he seemed to have lost the ability to warm himself up no matter the protection of clothing he used… yet this didn't seem to bother his sleep at all, in fact, the little sleep he usually got was still the same as it used to be, calm, repairing and a good source of strength. Nothing more, nothing less.

Still that morning he remained in bed until he heard the faint shuffling of webbed feet coming to his room. The toad like youkai was probably stressed over the matter about the witch of the eastern forest, he had yet to address the issue and he didn't feel particularly attracted to do it just then, when he felt so uncomfortable and annoyed. Dreams had been plaguing his sleep.

Dreaming was not something common in strong youkai like him, it was actually something they insisted belonged to only humans and weaker youkai, yet there he was, visualizing memories and ideas of a certain beautiful maiden he used to know. Dreams were not calm, making his sleep not at all repairing and they only served to weaken him.

How long had it been since the last time he saw her?

He could not remember when it had been yet he remembered her somber expression pretty well, she had known back then that he would not be returning although she had bid him farewell and asked him when he would be returning as usual. She knew he had lied and she hadn't shown her real emotions in any way except for the shadows in her eyes, shadows that had been part of those chocolate orbs since she entered adolescence, after she turned 13 something had clicked inside her and since then she had not been able to look at him the same. He understood the child knew the reality of their relationship… that she knew how things would go on from then on.

So he acknowledged a date and left as usual, but this time, he never returned.

The great dog demon Sesshomaru closed his eyes in distaste as he remembered the exact words he used, feeling the bitter feeling of his lie tangle with the rioting emotions reflected on the girl's eyes. She had looked so beautiful under the pale moon's light, more beautiful than all female youkai and human he knew, probably more beautiful than all females in the world… his precious little Rin.

A knock on his door took him out of his reverie and made him slide from his futon and glide towards the door quickly, sliding it to the side to reveal a small toad like youkai with a grim expression on his face.

"Sesshomaru-sama… I apologize for waking you up, it's about the witch of the east… she's… she has… the lords of the east…" His tongue tied suddenly as he became afraid of the anger in his eyes. His master had never been one to hurt unnecessarily or to provide punishment that wasn't required or deserved yet he also knew his master to be the kind of youkai to vent of his anger on those who gave the bad news, and this knowledge made him cower under his scrutinizing eyes. It seemed his lord had spent yet another unpleasant night.

"Is there any information on the real situation inside the forest?"

"It's been raining inside and the screams of many can still be heard coming from the inside, even thou no one has dared enter the grounds anymore"

He considered all this and what else he knew about the place and recent events and closing his eyes let an almost imperceptible sigh escape his lips.

Father should have paid more attention to what his words were when he imprisoned that wretched woman in that forest.

"Take care of everything while I am gone"

Little after saying this The Lord of the Western Lands left his palace in a ball of light headed towards the east. It was too little a warning of any subject but being used to it Jaken didn't bother asking anything or complaining in any way, he simply stared at the glowing shape flying away as he sent his wishes for a safe journey to his lord.