Why did Sesshomaru save Rin after she was attacked by Koga's wolves? Why does he always save her? She's only a human after all, right?
. . . . .
Wrong.
She continues to tease me. I cannot stand it!
But, she does not know of her taunting and her teasing towards her beloved Lord Sesshomaru. She does not know of the way Lord Sesshomaru holds back. She does not know how her developed chest and slender black hair sweeping at her waits makes him want to lose control, grab her and satisfy his need. And that's saying something about Lord Sesshomaru. He never loses control; never.
He, accompanied by Rin, Kohaku, Jaken and Ah-Un, was walking along the Crystal River. Near the Great Meadow that had a smooth terrain across the country. They were heading back to Lord Sesshomaru's castle in the Western Lands.
The sky darkened. The afternoon clouds were becoming dark and gathering rather quickly. Sesshomaru stopped. His party stopped a few yards behind him.
"Jaken," Lord Sesshomaru called over his shoulder to his servant.
Jaken, as always, answered quickly to his master's calling.
"Y-yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" He bowed unsteadily.
"Take Ah-Un and gather some firewood. We shall rest here for the night."
"But, Lord Sesshomaru, a storm is rolling in. Should we not seek shelter under the trees of the Golden Forest?"
"Do not question me, Jaken. Take Ah-Un and gather the wood." He ever so slight raised his voice in frustration. Never has he chewed out anyone with such fury of the demon he was.
He looked over to Rin and Kohaku. Kohaku was preparing the fire pit while Rin sat on top of a flat boulder and watched as he put large stones into a circle. Rin was dressed in a kimono slightly too big for her; one of Kagome's, no doubt. Her right shoulder was bare and her cheeks were flushed from the chill of dusk. Her eyes were liquid gold and her legs were perfectly shaped. Her stomach was slender from the walking she did daily. Her hair—oh, her hair—was like a raven's feather. Smooth and so dark it seemed to shine purple rays into his sensitive eyes.
She looked up then. He did not blush and look away like a teenage boy would. No, he was a man with demonic powers. He continued looking at her. She didn't look away or wince at the power of his gaze. It was he that broke the eye contact.
He announced, "I'll search for food" and was gone.
Why does he look at me so? Rin thought. Have I changed that much?
It was only six and a half years since Naraku was defeated. She couldn't have changed that much. She was at the age of 14. What was the difference? Maybe her chest was more sculpted and her body more curved. She did, though, take pleasure in the way he was watching her. He had watched her with eyes of hunger. Hunger for her. She wasn't scared, exactly the opposite. She was rather excited.
"Rin," Kohaku called her attention.
She blinked and looked at him clearly. He was looking at her with slight concern.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, moving closer to her.
She smiled at her friend. "I was just thinking is all. Are you ready to start the fire?"
"Nearly." He relaxed and looked beyond the river, into the dark forest. "If Jaken ever gets back."
He sat down beside her on the rock. The wind picked up suddenly and blew straight threw her. Rin shivered. Jaken might be right. It was a storm brewing in the skies. Lord Sesshomaru shouldn't scold Jaken when he merely gave a suggestion.
She felt arms wrap around her and her shoulder become covered by a warm cheek. She looked at Kohaku holding her in a loving embrace. They have been each other's sole confidant in this long journey to nowhere. They never talked during the day, only to each other at night when they thought everyone was asleep. Now, here he was holding her. She felt comfortable but careful not to make him think anything of it. After all he was seventeen and Kagome taught her that boys that age only have one thing on their mind. Rin didn't understand then, but she does now.
Thankfully, Jaken returned. He glanced at them and smiled secretively.
"Come. We need to fix the fire before Lord Sesshomaru returns." He began to stack wood into the fire pit. Kohaku released Rin and began to help Jaken. Within a few minutes the fire began to blaze.
Rin gazed into the fire. She didn't know what she saw; she just watched it like it was telling her an interesting story. She saw images dance in the flames. She looked farther into the flames. The flames licked the logs like it was eating them, which it was. She didn't look away until…
A large boar landed on the fire with a small puff of ash blowing into the night air. She snapped her eyes up, trying to refocus her eyesight to take in the figure standing above her. Lord Sesshomaru. He didn't even look at her. He turned away and began to find a place to sit and think.
As always,she thought. The man is a bore sometimes.
She chuckled under her breath. Kohaku skinned the boar and Jaken cut the meat. She cooked it over the spit. She was the best to cook the meat. They say it was because she is a woman and it's her instinct to know how to cook. She says, to herself, that she knows exactly the way Sesshomaru likes his meat; rare and bloody.
She glanced over towards Sesshomaru just to see him glaring at her with his golden eyes. He was rested against a single tree with the branches spilling over like a water fountain. She silently gasped, turned red and returned to her work. She didn't turn around again until the supper was ready.
"Lord Sesshomaru, will you eat with us?" Jaken called to him.
There was no reply.
Jaken huffed loudly. "Rin, take this to Lord Sesshomaru. He must eat."
"But, Lord Jaken, what if—," Rin began.
"No arguing, Rin! Just do it." Jaken turned to his food.
It was Rin's turn to huff as she grabbed the plate of food, stood, twirled on her heel and silently swept towards where the dog demon rested.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" She whispered. In the moonlight she could see his entire form. His relaxed muscles, his armored chest, his body wrapped in white fur. The raining branches didn't allow the silver light to reach his eyes, forcing Rin to guess whether he was awake or asleep. She crouched beside him.
"Sesshomaru-sama? Would you like to eat?"
No reply. She waited a few moments. Nothing still.
Rin sighed and placed the plate beside his thigh. She began to stand just to be pulled back down by a firm hand wrapped around her wrist. She whipped her head up to meet the eyes of Lord Sesshomaru. He pulled himself out from the shadows.
He was awake. Rin realized. She said aloud, "Sesshomaru-sama?"
"Rin, don't move." His voice was softer than a whisper.
He leaned forward. He turned her hand he held over to reveal a small burn mark just above her right wrist. He cocked his head.
"That must have happened when I was cooking the meat. I'm so careless." Rin mumbled and began to pull her hand away.
Lord Sesshomaru yanked the hand back to examine it. He pulled it close to his face, forcing Rin to fall from her crouch down onto her knees, which landed onto the fur. Lord Sesshomaru sniffed the wound before opening his mouth.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin said nervously.
Before she could rightly protest, Lord Sesshomaru's tongue struck out and licked at the wound. At first it stung and Rin made a painful groaning sound. After a few seconds she allowed him to clean it.
A minute later, he stopped and released her hand. Rin slowly pulled her wrist back towards her own body. She dropped her eyes to where the wound used to be.
Of course he healed it. Rin thought. He has demonic powers after all.
"Thank you," Rin whispered.
"Don't think anything of it," he replied harshly.
She stood and walked away. He didn't stop her this time, like she hoped.
Damn it! Sesshomaru scolded himself once Rin was gone. Don't keep doing this to yourself, you selfish bastard!
He watched her walk away and saw her turn slightly to look back. Her eyes glinting.
Fool. You couldn't let her tend to her wound herself, you just had to heal her. You just wanted to taste her.
So? Sure, he did, but is that wrong? Just to want some of what you can't have?
"I'm sounding like a child," he muttered.
No, you sound more like an idiot in lo…
No! His mind shouted at his heart. You damned fool!
How could he hide his feelings? How could he decide whether he should continue letting her think she only his ward or make a new path with her as his mate?
The only problem was that he swore to himself that he would never fall in love with a human. He vowed that he would never risk anything but for himself and no one else. She was going to ruin his promises he made when he killed Naraku. The thought made his blood boil and turn in his veins.
And yet, just maybe, he was okay with that.
A/N: Wow. My first anime! Review! Review! Review! Can I ask for anything else?