The sun seemed to hide itself behind the lush green hills of the village. As the sun settled itself in its new hiding place along the hills a young women with raven black hair made her way through the isolated rural village.
"If I'm late Kaede will never let me hear the end of it." Muttered Rin as she made her way along the dirt road that lead to the village.
The young women jogged the extra steps towards the poorly constructed wooden hut were she had been living with lady Kaede for the past 6 years. She could hear laughter as she approached the hut, inuyasha's nagging voice pierced the summer air. Well it did however until she heard a loud "Sit boy!"
Rin couldn't help but giggle as she grabbed the deer skin flap that separated the hut from the outside world and made her way inside.
"Look who finally showed up." Sneered Inuyasha
"Inuyasha, behave yourself it's a long walk to the village market!" Nagged Kagome
Before Rin knew it Inuyasha and Kagome were off bickering. Rin sighed making her shoulders slump forwards, if Jaken were here he would scold her about how unladylike and pathetic she looked when she did that. She could almost hear his voice in her mind when someone called her name which brought her back to reality.
"Rin, come sit with me dear you look exhausted." Spoke Kaede.
Kaede's brown dart like eyes seemed to entrance Rin to obey to her command.
Rin simply made her way over to the old women's side and slumped down. Placing the herbs Kagome needed from the market beside her on the way.
"Thank you Rin, I really owe you one it's hard to get around these days." Giggled Kagome
Rin's eyes scanned Kagome up and down, her belly was growing as expected of a women 5 months pregnant. Rin couldn't help but smile, Songo's children were older now and it was about time there was a young child in this big family of there's again. Rin never referred to Songo, Kagome and the rest of the group as simply "friends" they were her family. They saved her, they took her in when she was left behind by Sesshomaru.
Her eyes stung when his named crossed her mind, she couldn't tell if she would cry or not. It had been 4 years since Sesshomaru stopped coming to see her, since he stopped bringing her lovely kimonos which she adored so much, since he stopped caring for her.
Rin remembered there last interaction clearly.
The sacadas sang their summer songs that day the forest was a lovely orchestra of sounds and Rin listened with a smile on her face. She waited under an old oak tree, it's branches lush with green leafs that provided shade for her. She wore a yellow kimono accompanied by a white silk sash that adorned her waist, her raven hair was tied back into a messy bun. She didn't want to be vain but she felt beautiful and was excitedly waiting for Sesshomaru to arrive.
She waited, and waited. The sun slipped behind the hills like it did so many times before but still he had not shown. Her legs ached, she hadn't sat down since she got to the tree. She was afraid she'd get her kimono dirty, she found that thought silly since she was always covered in dirt when she was a child. The ends of Rin's mouth twitched up forming a smile thinking of how shocked Sesshomaru would be when he sees her in her kimono.
Before dusk turned to night, Rin's eyes seemed to loose focus and she found herself drifting off to sleep as she leaned against the tree. However before her eyes shut, she heard a commotion on the ground in front of her. Dust flew through the air which made her cough due to it filling her lungs.
"I thought you weren't going to show up." Smiled Rin welcoming her old friend
Sesshomaru did not return her friendly gesture, he simply stared at the women before him. Rin returned his rudeness with a blank stare until she realized how much her once great savior had changed. His once long hair was cut short, which sadden Rin since she always loved how long it was. There also was a quite visible scar along the violet moon crest on the center of his forehead. Sesshomaru must have seen the shock on her face because he finally spoke.
"I gave you that kimono last year, I never knew it would suit you so well."
Rin was relieved that he finally spoke, but then she began to process what he said. What did he mean by "I never knew it would suit you so well."
Her face burned with embarrassment.
What was he expecting some boyish young girl in the kimono?! He probably never expected her to even look remotely beautiful.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Frowned Rin
Maybe she was just overthinking a badly worded compliment, but she just wanted to reassure herself if that was the case.
"Forget it Rin." Sighed Sesshomaru
Rin sensed the irritation in his voice and scolded herself for being so self centered.
"It's been so long.., I've missed you."
"I've missed you as well Rin." Smiled Sesshomaru
Rin was dumbfounded that he smiled, she could only count a handful of times he smiled at her. But that in turn worried her, why would he smile during such an ordinary visit.
"What's going on?" asked Rin in a barely audible whisper
Sesshomaru stared at Rin intensely, he looked like he was debating something when he finally spoke.
"I have set a goal for myself Rin this might be hard for you to understand but I've been claiming territories all across this region so that results in me fighting many battles against demons, some stronger, some weaker than me. These battles have been leaving me exhausted. I know I should have told you but I didn't want you to be concerned."
"You should've told me."
Rin could hear the the tremble in her voice but she didn't care, her eyes burned she silently prayed that she wouldn't cry.
"It's not like These battles will effect you anyway, you will be dead in fifty years or so." Snarled Sesshomaru
His words hit her like an arrow to the heart, she let her tears flow freely now. For so many years Jaken had told her that she was merely a speck in their timeline, but she had come to live with the delusion that she would live with Jaken and Sesshomaru forever.
Sesshomaru's anger seemed to sizzle away as he looked up at the now weeping Rin. She looked into his eyes they were full of sadness and regret but she couldn't stop herself from unleashing her tears.
"Rin I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry."
This day was in shambles in Rin's eyes, today was the day she was going to confess the feelings she had for Sesshomaru, she loved him but now she couldn't even look at him.
"Just go.. please." pleaded Rin
Sesshomaru made his way towards Rin, catching her by surprise since he ignored her request almost instantly. He pressed his lips onto her forehead making her blush a lush shade of pink, and with another ghostly smile he vanished.
There Rin stood, under the oak tree with so many feelings battling inside her she just sat down on the ground not caring about the kimono and there she wept.
