A/N: Hi all! I apparently suck at updating long stories, but oneshots are easy enough since they are…only one chapter, which is all that's needed to post them! I'm revisiting the InuYasha series, and remembered why I fell in love with Sesshomaru and Rin. I know a lot of people are fond of them as a romantic pairing, and though I'm not opposed to it, I feel that the beauty of Sesshomaru's transformation lies in learning to love and protect an innocent child. The love between a parent and child is the purest form of love, and in my mind, it serves his character arc better because it doesn't fall into romantic clichés and was ultimately unexpected, especially considering all the innuendos and blatant adult jokes and references to sexuality in the series. I think this is what the writers intended because Sesshomaru is given the power of life when he's so used to killing for his own gain. I find it fascinating to play with the themes of birth, and the responsibility of giving and preserving life as it relates to his character, and his relationship with Rin. So here's my take on the beginning their paternal relationship, as well as the beginning of his transformation.
Bond of Breath
Another test was needed to verify the power of the Tenseiga. A sword that could not kill was useless to Demon Lord. Though as useless as it was in battle, he could not deny that the ultimately worthless object had piqued his curiosity. If it had been bequeathed to him upon his father's death, he ought to at least know what secret powers it held. He'd had his sights set on acquiring the Tessaiga for so long that he hadn't spared his own fang much thought since it hadn't shown any relevance or purpose in his aspirations of becoming mightier than his father.
He ignored his servant, who cowered nervously at his feet, no doubt fearful of being struck yet again even if he'd already survived the cut of the Tenseiga once before.
As he pulled the sword from its sheath, his golden eyes gazed down upon the lifeless body of the mortal child, her own eyes dead and hollow. That memory of her smile flashed across his consciousness, and he felt the pulse of his father's fang travel through his hand and up his arm to settle somewhere deep within his chest. A weightless power surrounded his own aura, strengthening with each heartbeat of the Tenseiga. It felt wholly different from his attempt to cut Jaken. There, his intent was simply to prove a point that the sword was worthless for his purposes. Now, however, he wished to call upon the spiritual nature of the sword to understand how it interacted with the forces of death itself.
They appeared to him, the imps of the underworld that sought to drag the soul of the girl away from the world of the living. They bound her body in chains so that her spirit could not return to its vessel.
If he could see them, could he cut them down? What would happen if he did?
Raising the sword, he struck out at the imps, and they disintegrated, the atmosphere of the underworld receding.
Jaken gaped and sputtered as Sesshomaru replaced the Tenseiga and gently lifted the girl with his single hand. He felt no life in her body for several long seconds, and he wondered if her smile was the last he'd ever see of her in life.
He inhaled sharply in surprise when her torso expanded with renewed breath, her innocent eyes slowly opened to gaze into his, and her heartbeat thrummed melodiously in his ears.
Like a newborn fawn, the child looked up at him in dazed confusion. Yet, he saw a spark of recognition dawn in her countenance followed by an expression of mixed relief and happiness that was still dimmed by the drowsiness of death.
He regarded her with fascination and an odd sort of relief that he had no explanation for.
"She came back to life!" said Jaken. "Lord Sesshomaru, you resurrected this human girl with the power of the Tenseiga?"
She kept her eyes on his face, and Sesshomaru experienced a kind of dissonance when he realized that the two of them were sharing an extraordinary moment. To him, she'd merely been an experiment. To the child, he understood immediately that he'd become her savior. How could he have been so foolish to overlook that obvious outcome? Yet, such was the difference between demons and humans.
Sesshomaru helped her to stand, then got to his feet, turning his back to her and his toad-like servant. Again, he heard Jaken sputter behind him, but he was quickly lost in the curiousness of his own thoughts.
'Huh. Tenseiga. You compelled me to save a human life today.'
Jaken muttered to himself as his master strode away, the master paying him no mind.
Sesshomaru hadn't expected the girl to follow, though again, he supposed he should have. He heard her almost silent footsteps some distance behind him, but he was too caught up in his own contemplation to even consider ordering her to go back to the village from whence she'd come.
It wasn't like she was a bother. The girl was mute, and she caused no trouble as they wandered away from the human village. It was only Jaken who seemed to protest her presence, but Sesshomaru paid him no attention as he continued to wonder about the sword left to him by his father.
Was it still useless? Could it possibly be used for his own gain? Likely not. It could not give him anything he didn't already have. He could toss it. By all rights, he could have gotten rid of it a long time ago. He'd only held onto it to remind him of the resentment he held toward his father for leaving him such a pitiful piece of junk. Now that his curiosity about the Tenseiga was satisfied (at least for the time being), should he ditch it?
The girl ran ahead of him, smiling again despite trying to find balance on her wobbly legs. Something unfamiliar tugged at him from deep within his chest, but it was too faint to pay much attention to.
What did it matter? At his hip or in the ground, the Tenseiga was of no use to him or anyone else. Yet, like the girl, it did no harm, so why abandon it? It was still his father's fang, after all. At the very least, he supposed he could respect the intriguing powers it did possess, even if they granted him no additional might.
But then again, he thought as he watched the previously deceased child embrace her second chance at life, to be master over death was a unique and profound experience. He was aware that there were spells and witchery that could bring back the souls of the dead, but the Tenseiga, despite being crafted from the fang of his father, the great Demon Lord Toga, did not brim with dark or nefarious powers. Its power was pure, and altogether foreign to its current wielder.
After retrieving the two-headed dragon that neither Sesshomaru nor Jaken had cared to name, they carried on further away from the human village. The child's newfound energy did not last long, and Sesshomaru took quick notice. It was strange, this feeling of being entirely too attuned to the girl, as if she was now an extension of himself.
"We will rest here for the night."
"A-already, Milord? But we've barely made a mile!"
"Strike a fire, Jaken. We're in no hurry."
"Uh… Aye, Milord…"
Sesshomaru took up against the trunk of a tree, glancing at his servant as he fumbled to do what was asked of him. The girl wandered about, apparently glad to have a task to perform as she gathered sticks for the fire, though neither Sesshomaru nor Jaken had ordered her to do so. Jaken was unsure how to respond when she handed him the firewood she'd collected.
"I could have gotten it myself, you know!"
The child was unfazed as she ran off into the brush. Sesshomaru watched the bushes until she returned with some berries and herbs. She offered them to Jaken with that familiar smile.
"What! I don't eat that garbage!" he insisted. She held it out to him again. "If you like it so well, then you eat it!"
She tilted her head, then looked over to Sesshomaru. He watched her carefully as she came toward him, offering him the food as she'd done several times when they'd met before in the forest.
"I told you, I don't eat human food."
She still looked confused, and a little put out. He noticed a pink tinge blossom across her small cheeks, and she looked quite sheepish.
She thought she owed him for returning her life to her.
He pondered that for a moment. He supposed saving someone's life was something to be repaid, but what did this girl think she could offer him?
"I saved your life on a whim, nothing more. Do you understand?"
She didn't seem to believe him, gazing at him as she was with those admiring eyes. What did she see in him, he wondered? Did she sincerely mistake his curiosity for kindness?
"Keep it," he finally said. "You need to replenish your strength."
She was hesitant, but she seemed to understand. She sat next to him, leaning comfortably against his mokomoko, and he watched her eat her meager meal happily.
Jaken distanced himself from the girl, eyeing her and his Lord with incomprehension. He seemed about to say something, but Sesshomaru silenced him with a look before he could start to speak.
The child yawned and stretched after she'd eaten, turning over to lay on the mokomoko facing him as she closed her eyes. He studied her again briefly, then turned his attention to the starry sky as he leaned his head back against the tree.
The following day, they sought out Sesshomaru's demon armorer named Hyousuke to repair his clothes and armor. Watching the young child play in the light of day, he realized that she, too, required new garments, for hers were tattered and stained with blood and dirt. They were littered with old holes from overuse since she'd had nothing else to wear, and the wolves that had attacked her had destroyed the pathetic garments even further.
Though the child was not put off by Hyousuke's unpleasant appearance, it was clear that Hyousuke questioned her presence in the company of the Demon Lord. He stole furtive, disgusted glances at her, but was smart enough to keep his mouth shut and do the work Sesshomaru had commissioned without any unsolicited comments.
With six arms, Hyousuke was able to complete his commissions in short order, and by day's end, Sesshomaru's armor had been repaired, and the child donned a new orange and yellow checkered kosode complete with green obi. She appeared delighted to have nice new clothes. She turned this way and that, admiring her outfit, and beamed up at him with a clear expression of gratitude as she grasped his sleeve with her tiny hand.
It was strange, having his actions appreciated rather than revered. Admittedly it was out of character for him to be any sort of generous. However, he rationalized that if she was insistent on traveling with them, he couldn't have her following him around in rags. He was a lord, after all, and he had standards to properly maintain his dignity and respect.
A small sliver of his consciousness recognized other reasons for gifting her with a proper wardrobe, but he scoffed at such folly and walked away from her. He didn't care about the girl any more than he would care about a pesky insect, but a butterfly was much more tolerable to look at than a dull, dusty moth.
"Let's go," he said to his traveling companions after thanking Hyousuke for his quick and diligent work.
Jaken fumbled after him, as was typical, as he led the two-headed dragon along, and the young girl took up skipping happily at Sesshomaru's side. He ignored her easily, retreating into his thoughts on his wretched half-breed brother, and how to handle him now that he'd discovered how to use the Wind Scar.
It took a while, but Jaken was unable to stand the silence forever. As daylight waned to evening's darkness, his curiosity got the better of him, and he drudged up the courage to ask Sesshomaru what his next move would be in regards to InuYasha. They discussed the matter as they found a place to rest for the night while the child observed their interactions. Though she couldn't comprehend the topic of their conversation, she appeared to Sesshomaru to be studying them quite closely. Several times, it seemed that she was struggling with some thought, but he didn't care enough to contemplate what it might be. It wasn't like she could answer even if he asked.
Sesshomaru stood with his back to the others as he continued to ponder the situation while Jaken and the child conjured up another campfire. Jaken voiced his irritation with the chore since they had rarely needed a fire prior to the girl's accompanying them.
Paying no mind to his yammering servant and his never-ending myriad of complaints, Sesshomaru blinked down in mild surprise when he felt a tug on his sleeve.
"What is it?" he asked with a hint of annoyance.
He watched her continue to struggle with something, and she chewed her lip in uncertainty.
"Well?" he prompted after several long seconds.
She returned her gaze to his with a newfound confidence as she began to move her lips silently. Once, twice, three times she attempted to speak, but she didn't give up. Sesshomaru found himself curious again, and he watched her intently as she tried to find her voice.
"L…Lord Sessho…maru. Tha…thank you."
His lips parted in silent wonder at the girl's will and tenacity, as well as her sincere expression of gratitude. He'd been thanked out of reverence before, usually for sparing someone's life instead of taking it (a rare occurrence); but something about the thanks she gave touched him in a way he could not explain.
"Ah! She speaks!" came Jaken's surprised exclamation. "I suppose it could be considered a miracle, but it will likely be even more of a bother…"
Yet in that moment, Sesshomaru only had eyes and ears for the child, though he could not fathom why. What did he see in those unjustly bright eyes of hers? It was unsettling, but not unpleasant.
"Interesting that you now seem to be able to speak. If that is the case, then tell me, what is your name? Or do you remember?"
She nodded. "Mhm! M-my name…is Rin."
He returned his gaze to the stars, giving a long pause. Finally, he said, "I see. In that case…don't mention it. Rin."
She ran to Sesshomaru's servant, beaming. "Thank you, too…M-Master Jaken!"
"W-what?! Don't thank me, I didn't invite you to come with us! It is Lord Sesshomaru who allows it, though I cannot for the life of me understand why!"
She laughed, and the sound was oddly soothing to the Demon Lord's ears. Anything had to be better than Jaken's shrill ramblings, at any rate.
He let her carry on for a short while before calling her attention. "Enough, Rin. Get some sleep."
"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru," she agreed without protest.
She chose to lie next to Jaken where he sat against the two-headed dragon only for Jaken to scurry away to the dragon's other side.
"You stay over there, human!"
"That's fine! There's more room if we have our own sides anyway."
Jaken scoffed and muttered to himself as Sesshomaru sat away from them to close his eyes and rest. When his thoughts kept drifting to the girl, he told himself it was only because he had no answers to the dilemma surrounding his filthy, half-breed brother. She overran his thoughts, and a revelation jumped to the forefront of his mind:
He'd given life and breath to that child, and in that moment that her lungs had expanded, her heart had pumped blood through her veins, and her eyes had opened, an unintentional bond had been created between them. Like a mother's duty to her babe, it was Sesshomaru who was responsible for protecting her now. He should have regretted his reckless decision that had led to such a consequence, but he didn't. And though he could deny it for all eternity to anyone who might have asked, the last image that flashed across his awareness before he succumbed to sleep that night was Rin's innocent eyes and carefree smile, her happy laughter echoing in his memory and beginning to thaw the frozen heart he hadn't known he possessed.