A/N: Hello all, welcome to The Lake House! This is my first Inuyasha fic, and of course, I picked my favorite pair, Sesshy and Rin. I hope you enjoy it! Reviewers receive warm-from-the-oven cookies. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, and flamers will be used to bake the aforementioned cookies.

STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha, or any related characters. These writings are for my own personal enjoyment and I do not make any sort of income from them. I just enjoy playing with these characters and making them do dirty things to each other.

This fic is rated M for some language and future citrusy-goodness.

Rin stared at the computer monitor, reading the highlighted blue text for the hundredth time. One slim finger hovered over the delete key, but she couldn't bear to do it. This was the worst part of writing.

This is crap. Get rid of it. No one ever has to know such drivel came out of your head.

It happened at least five or six times per book; she would sit down at the computer and reread the last few pages to get back into the story, and then see hundreds of words that were so bad it made her head hurt. It never stopped happening, and it never got any easier. All she had to do was convince herself to push that little black button and-

The cell phone next to her laptop suddenly lit up and skittered across the desk, blaring a familiar song. Rin jumped and her finger pressed the key. As she answered the phone, her lips twisted in a wry smile.

"What's up, Kagome?"

"Not much," said the perky voice on the other end of the line. "You sound cranky. Still stuck?"

Sighing, Rin leaned back and spun idly in her chair, clicking her pen. "Yeah. This book is killing me. You just helped me delete a load of craptastic prose, though, so I guess I should say thanks."

"That bad, huh?"

Rin loved to write. As far back as she could remember she had always carried a notebook and pens with her. Any little thing could be the inspiration for a story. A bird sitting on the shoulder of a statue, a group of students studying in the park, an elderly couple on the train… everything was fodder for the ideas that constantly swirled in her mind. Her foster mother, a kindly woman named Kaede, had encouraged her in this hobby, which she had eventually made into a career.

At this moment, she hated it.

"Mmhmm. Right now, I'm trying to make a vampire that isn't all emo-gloom and teen angst. It isn't working out too well, especially since that's exactly what they asked for."

"Emo vampires? Please."

"My thoughts exactly. Ever since the demons came out, that's all the publishers want. Vampire this, werewolf that, demons galore. It's enough to drive a girl crazy, let me tell you."

Demons had come out of the proverbial closet a bit less than ten years ago. In the age of cell phone cameras and the viral internet machine, it was only a matter of time until something got posted that wasn't meant to be seen. Some young demon had made a video of himself changing into his true form and tried to send it to someone, but had inadvertently typed the wrong email. The person who received it posted the video and within days, the world was aware of the non-humans walking amongst them.

Most people tended to have one of two reactions when it came to demons: utter terror and hatred, leading to the formation of the Human Society, devoted to getting rid of the demons walking among them, or total fascination. Ones who were fascinated nearly worshipped the demons, surrounding themselves with as many of them as possible.

Rin fell in the middle of the two. Having gone to an integrated high school, she saw the demons as people who just happened to have superpowers. She wasn't afraid of them, but she was wary. The primal instincts of a demon, when provoked, had serious consequences for whoever was on the receiving end. She wasn't enthralled with them either, but she couldn't deny the gut-wrenching allure that some possessed.

Kagome, Rin's best friend, was the same. Her husband, Inuyasha, was half-demon. She loved her demon with all of her heart, but had no problem putting him in his place if he was acting more animal than human.

Part of Rin couldn't help but be jealous of her friend. Inuyasha was completely enamored with his wife, bending over backwards to make her happy. Kagome never took advantage of this, though, and she did the same for him. Rin wanted something like that, something real, something worth working for. A string of failed relationships had jaded her to a certain degree, but deep down, she had a feeling she would always be a hopeless romantic.

Right. Emphasis on 'hopeless'.

Kagome said something and Rin snapped out of her reverie. "What was that? I zoned for a minute."

"I said I know what would make you feel better. Inuyasha and I are heading up to his family's lake house for a week. Why don't you come with us?"

Rin scoffed. "Pass. I love you, Kag, but I'm not going on some romantic getaway with you guys."

"No, silly," she said, laughing. "It's some teamwork-bonding thing for the company. Trust me, there's plenty of room up there, and I know nobody would mind."

"I have to get this book done."

"And? You work on a computer. Bring it with you. And just think, a houseful of demons might give you a bunch of new ideas, and if you're feeling all anti-social, like I know you will, there's tons of space to go and be alone. And the scenery is beyond gorgeous."

Rin sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Kagome could convince a mountain to move if she set her mind to it. "You know I hate you, right?"

"I know. So, shall I call and tell them to prepare for an extra guest?"

"Well… it would be nice to get out for a while."

The happy squeal had Rin holding the phone out at arm's length. "Oh, Rinny, we're going to have so much fun! You won't regret this, I promise!"

"Don't get too excited, hon. I'm bringing my laptop, and I'm probably going to be working all flippin' week."

Now it was Kagome's turn to scoff. "All work and no play makes Rin a dull girl."

"Maybe, but it means the dull girl gets paid. I don't have a sugar daddy demon husband like some people I know." It was a familiar complaint without any heat behind it.

Kagome laughed. "There's going to be quite a few available while we're up there, and they're all hotties, but there's one who is major freaking eye candy, so be sure to pack the sexy undies."

A loud "Oi!" echoed in the background. Rin could hear a quick, muffled conversation between Kagome and Inuyasha, and she distinctly heard her name a few times. A moment later, Kagome was back. "Sorry about that. I had to explain that I have no intention of doing anything to the insanely hot demons I see up there," Rin could hear growling as Kagome spoke. "Eye candy is just a term I use for… appreciation of… the… finer things. Yeah. Fine works."

Rin snorted. "I'm sure they're fine. I won't need to pack anything special, though. Did Inuyasha say it was okay?"

"Yep. We'll come pick you up Saturday morning about nine. It's a six-hour drive, so be prepared. Bring some munchies, too. And sexy undies. Oh, and a bathing suit. And a dress."

Rin's eyes widened and she dug through her desk for a legal pad to write down her packing list. "Munchies. Bathing suit. A dress? Why a dress?"

"They always have a fancy dinner once or twice. Sometimes, if there are enough couples, there's dancing. Hm," she trailed off in thought. "So, let me think. Bathing suit. Dress and heels. Munchies and a book, or whatever, for the drive. Camera. Tennis shoes, for the nature trails. Sexy undies, and I hope I don't have to tell you what those are for. And no need to bring shampoo or anything, they have all that. Other than that, bring whatever you want to wear. Some guys never get within six feet of a tie except for the fancy-schmancy meal, and others never loosen theirs."

Scribbling on the yellow paper, Rin wrote down her list. "Anything in particular for munchies?"

"Nope. I'm bringing some, too, but Inuyasha will probably decimate my stash within the first hour." Kagome didn't bother covering the mouthpiece when she spoke to the dog hanyou, who was yelling again. "Well, I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true. If I, or anyone else, ate a fraction of what you do, we'd be bigger than the car!"

She couldn't help but laugh as the couple traded play insults back and forth. Finally, Kagome shouted "Sit, boy!" The muffled boom Inuyasha's face made against the floor was so loud it almost seemed as if they were in the room with her. A stream of curses came shortly afterwards, and judging by the colorful language, the hanyou was perfectly fine.

"Anyway," Rin said before they could start at each other again. "If you two are done airing your dirty laundry in front of me, I need to do something about this scene before I completely lose it."

"Aw, honey, that was no dirty laundry. How would 'Yasha know I cared if I didn't sit him once in a-"

BOOM. Quickly followed by "God dammit, Kagome!"

Kagome laughed. "Oops! Saturday, nine a.m. Don't forget your munchies!" Rin agreed and hung up, feeling much better after their talk, hanyou interruptions included.

A vacation would be really nice right about now. Even if it was a corporate gathering, at least she'd be getting out of the apartment. She hadn't had a break in… Geez, nearly six years. No wonder I've been burning out lately.

The last time, she and Kagome had gone on a four-day spa trip in celebration on her eighteenth birthday. Then her career had taken off, leaving her little free time. She had been a prolific writer early on, releasing several books a year. While none of them were exactly bestsellers, she made enough to live comfortably and still have enough to play around a bit. Recently, however, her pace had started to slow, and she was down to one every six months or so.

Turning back to the monitor, Rin tapped the mouse and reread the last few paragraphs. Writing on demand was a skill she still had yet to master, and it showed. Stilted phrasing, unbelievable dialogue and a mild form of writer's block had combined to make the perfect storm of bad story.

"Okay, so my hero is an angst-ridden emo vampire who goes around saying things like, 'That is highly irrational.' What is he, a blood-sucking robot? Ugh." Rin fell forward, her head making a solid thump as it connected with the wooden desk. "This weekend can't possibly come soon enough."

-x-

The drive was nearly eight hours, instead of the six Kagome had told her. Apparently, Inuyasha forgot to account for any sort of traffic, which he loudly complained of for most of the journey. Kagome was right in one instance, though; the munchies stash was gone almost immediately. Luckily, Rin had secreted a handful of granola bars in her laptop bag, so no one starved.

It was five o'clock by the time Inuyasha pulled the SUV on to a winding gravel driveway. Rin bit her lip and started gathering her things from the spread on the seat next to her. Two books, an MP3 player, a notebook, and her shoes were quickly put back in their proper places, the shoes sliding on last. Pulling the pen out of her messy bun, she tried to fix the cascade of dark hair without the help of a mirror.

Kagome turned around to see her nervous fidgeting. "Rin, calm down. Just be yourself, and I know everyone will love you."

Inuyasha scoffed. "I doubt it." Rin's eyes narrowed and Kagome hit him on the shoulder.

"Don't be mean!"

"I only meant that Fluffy doesn't like anybody."

"Well, you didn't have to say it like that," Kagome said, turning back to Rin. "Don't worry about Sesshomaru. He's kind of… standoffish, for lack of a better word. Don't take it personally."

"Standoffish? He's a dick."

The girls ignored him. "What about the others?"

"Izayoi and Taisho, 'Yasha's parents, are cool. The rest run the gamut, and I'll point them out when we get there."

Trees surrounded them, connecting overhead to form a green tunnel. "When is the key word. This driveway has to end sometime, right?"

Just as the last word left her mouth the trees separated, revealing a house so big it classified as a bona fide mansion. The driveway widened into a large parking area filled with expensive vehicles. The mansion itself –she couldn't possibly call it a house- was done in the classic European style and looked like she imagined a manor would. If this is the vacation home, I can't imagine what their real house is like.

Inuyasha turned off the SUV and turned around, smiling when he saw her dropped jaw. "Don't be intimidated, Rin. It's just a house. And it actually belongs to the company."

"Yeah, but your dad owns the company."

"Feh, same difference. Now get out, dinner's waiting."

Rin joined Kagome behind the vehicle in waiting for Inuyasha to pop the hatch. When he did, they each grabbed their suitcases and made their way into the mansion. Rin couldn't help the breathless "Wow," that escaped her in the foyer. The ceiling vaulted three stories high, supported by a pair of marble columns carved with flowers and leafs.

A grand staircase curved up to the third floor, following the circular design of the room. With a foyer this impressive, Rin could barely make herself stay in the house. She had never felt this out of place before. How she would ever begin to fit in with anyone who could afford to live like this was beyond her. Kagome grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as Inuyasha bellowed that they were here.

"I know exactly how you feel," Kagome whispered. "I could barely manage two words the first time I met his parents and saw their home."

Several servants rushed in from a doorway to the left and took their bags up to their respective rooms. An elderly woman stayed behind and led them through the same door. Rin gawked at the living room they had entered. A sectional the big enough for an entire football team to share sat facing a floor-to-ceiling fireplace on one side and the biggest big screen she had ever seen on the other.

A dining room came next. A long, dark table with close to twenty chairs was decorated with crystal place settings. Matching bottles filled with various liquids glinted from a dry bar in the far corner. What was in one of those bottles could probably pay for Rin's rent that month.

The kitchen, a room any five-star chef would die to have, was where their group found several people sitting around the table and chatting. A delicate woman stood and hugged Inuyasha, then Kagome. As the couple made their greetings, the woman came up to Rin and clasped her hand gently.

"You must be Rin. I'm Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother."

"Thank you for having me, Izayoi. Your home is gorgeous."

If anything, the woman's already blinding smile got even brighter. "Call me Izzy, please. Come, come. Let's get you introduced."

A tall woman with her hair up in a high ponytail smiled as Rin and Izzy approached. A delicate pink dress complimented her coloring wonderfully and showed off her swelling stomach. "Rin, this is Sango. Sango, this is Rin, Inuyasha and Kagome's friend."

"Well, any friend of Kagome's is a friend of mine. If you see a man with a ponytail running around, that's my husband, Miroku. He works with all the other boys."

Rin smiled, pleased to have met someone to talk to besides Kagome. "It's nice to meet you, too. If you don't mind me asking, when are you due?"

"Three more months." When Rin's eyes widened a fraction and Sango laughed. "I know, I look like I'm about to pop. Twins."

Another woman strode up to them, this one with red hair and a large flower tucked behind her ear. "Are we discussing babies? Sango has a one-track mind nowadays. Hi, I'm Ayame." Rin took the proffered hand and said her name. "That sounds familiar… do I know you from anywhere?"

She swallowed nervously. It was inevitable this conversation would happen, and she was prepared to defend her job against anyone who thought writing romances wasn't a real career path. Prepared or not, she didn't like doing it. "I'm an author."

"Really? What have you written?"

"Oh, mostly romances. A couple stand-alone novels."

Ayame pursed her lips. Sango's brow furrowed in thought. Izzy excused herself and left the room in a rush. So quickly it was like she had never left, the older woman returned with a somewhat tattered, dog-eared paperback.

She thrust the book at Rin. "This is you!"

Rin took the battered book and grinned. It seemed like she wouldn't have to be embarrassed of her work. "Yes, it is."

Sango looked at the book and her jaw went slack. "You're that Rin Kimura? I love your books!"

Ayame squealed and the three other people in the room turned in surprise. Curious, the two women and the man made their way over. The man wrapped an arm around Ayame's waist. Long brown hair fell over his eyes as he bent to kiss her forehead. "Why the noise?"

"You know those books I read all the time?"

"The sex books? Yeah, why?" Rin blushed a furious red at that. Men just didn't get it.

Ayame pointedly looked at Rin, the man following her gaze. "She wrote them." His eyes widened a second before a wide smile split his face.

"I'm Koga," he said, holding his hand out. "And you are the woman who inspired my wife to new heights in certain activities. I owe you thanks."

Or maybe they do. Rin shook his hand, and stumbled out a response. "Uh, you're welcome?"

The other two women were Kagura, a striking woman with a feather hair clip and a stiff expression, and Kanna, a tiny lady with a hip-length fall of snow white hair. Izzy allowed the women to ask her a few more questions before Rin was hustled off to her bedroom.

As they ascended the stairs, Izzy told her about the house. It had fourteen bedrooms, not including the guest house where the staff was staying for the week. There was a pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, a gym, a theatre, a boat, and several miles of nature trails. Rin was in awe by the time the list of amenities was finished. She could write a book a month and never be able to afford a fraction of this luxury.

"Here we are," Izzy said as she pushed open a door. "I'll leave you be, for now. Dinner is in-" She glanced at the clock, "an hour. What you have on is fine. See you in a bit."

The room was just as opulent as the rest of the house. Her suitcase and garment bag were laying on the king canopy bed next to her laptop bag. A large window showed the lake and the mountains beyond, trees climbing the slopes. Two overstuffed chairs and a coffee table sat in front of an ornate fireplace, and the entire room was done in tones of pale blue and silver. It was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen.

Izzy left the door cracked when she walked away and she could hear the faint sounds of conversation and of people settling in their rooms. Rin took a deep breath, centering herself. Methodically, she unpacked, setting her electronics and writing things aside as she filled the closet. She tucked the now empty suitcase under the bed and moved over to the small desk area.

When the writing area was set up, she decided to head down to the dining room. It was still a bit early, but she wanted to finish meeting and greeting tonight. Pulling the door closed behind her, she exited the room and walked down the hallway. Turning a corner, she ran right into a solid wall of muscle.

Strong arms steadied her as she lost her balance. Unblinking golden eyes stared down at her when she looked up. As soon as her feet were under her again, the hands let go. She barely kept her jaw from dropping at the sight of him.

He was tall, easily over six feet, and all lean muscle. Waist-length silver hair would have made anyone else seem feminine, but it only exaggerated his strong jaw and pointed chin. Suddenly her room was the second most gorgeous thing she had ever seen. His eyebrow raised and she remembered their collision.

"I'm sorry."

"Hm. Who are you?"

"Rin Kimura. Kagome's friend. You must be Sesshomaru." He nodded slightly, a section of hair falling over one shoulder.

"Why are you here?"

She raised an eyebrow at his brusque tone. "Inuyasha and Kagome invited me."

"Hm."

When no other conversation was forthcoming, Rin turned sideways and sidled past him. "Well, again, sorry for running into you this way. See you at dinner." It took a supreme amount of effort to not look back at him, but she managed, even though she could feel his gaze on her back the entire way.