Angel in Demons
Rated: T
Chapter 1: Human
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha otherwise there would be a sequel. -_-
"What do you think should be done about Rin now?" Kaede continued, getting straight to the point.
Sesshomaru stood there motionless, completely still as he thought of an answer to that question. He had many answers, but just didn't know which one was the correct one.
"Do you plan to take her with you now that she has grown up?" Kaede spoke.
Sesshomaru remained quiet, considering that this decision would be solely up to Rin.
"She will do as she wishes." He spoke and thought this would suffice.
"She is young. Though she will consider being with you happiness, she still won't ever live a peaceful life with you. She is a human. And you are a Youkai who will never accept humans. Am I wrong?"
It was that thought again, placed in words. The thought which seemed to bother him the last night watching the girl sleep on the ground in the dirt just to be with him. She deserved to be in a much better place where the people around her would not place her in such situations. Living around him, she would be in constant danger of youkai attacks as he was surrounded by youkai and she would be the only human around.
"What do you propose?" Sesshomaru spoke, calculating everything in his mind. 'She would indeed be in the way if she gets into trouble.' – Just then a harsh voice from within him spoke, 'Justification!' Sesshomaru heard this and was slightly caught aback but paid no heed to it as this was not the moment.
"I… Received a proposal." She stated.
Sesshomaru's eyes widened a bit but no enough to let Kaede see the shock which took over him. 'Proposal…?' He thought.
"Sesshomaru, Rin should be married now. She should live with humans. Consider her happiness." A pause then, "You can never treat her with the love that a human boy can give her."
Rage soared in his body, the thought that this woman was saying that there was something that a human could give Rin that Sesshomaru couldn't. How could she even consider saying such a thing? Was she calling for death herself?
Sesshomaru, not knowing how to control himself anymore, got up in an instant and left the room.
Kaede sighed and wondered if Sesshomaru was this selfish. She hoped not.
"Renji-kun! Hayaku! Kotchi kotchi!" Rin called out, her feet becoming restless.
"Hai, Rin-chan!" The man followed, running to the young girl.
"This is Jaken-sama!" Rin finally announced, pointing to the small youkai who was on the ground on his face as he had collapsed.
"Youkai!" Renji yelled out.
"Hai! But Jaken-sama is a good youkai. He is kind and caring and silly and very cowardly!" Rin said in complete innocence and sincerity.
"COWARDLY!" Jaken screamed, getting up to his feet and pointing at Rin to take that back.
"Jaken-sama looks silly when he is angry because he is so small!" Rin said, turning to Renji and smiling.
Renji twitched his right eye and just stood there staring at Rin. 'What a strange girl…'
Sesshomaru ventured out in attempt to cool down his anger, anger which would surely break loose any time soon. Just then he heard Jaken scream out loud and, curious as to why he was screaming in a human village, followed his scent.
In the middle of the market place stood Jaken who was being teased and annoyed by Rin and another man.
'That isn't Kohaku. Who is he?' he wondered.
Kohaku was the only boy he trusted around Rin other than his half brother and the monk. Then who was he? In any case, Rin was laughing out loud with him and… Happy.
The silk kimono he had gotten her the last time he came, she wore it with such grace while still running about like a little child after the green demon as he swung around his enormous staff. 'She is happy with humans.'
He stood behind a small shop watching Rin laugh about with all the other people in the market, each and every one of them only showing her care and kindness. 'Was this what the old Miko said I couldn't give Rin?' That smile which every single human gave as she talked to them. He was too proud to give her that. And no justification could be given to have him change. 'This Sesshomaru does not feel such weak emotions!'
"I shall leave Rin under your care for now. But be sure, that idea of her… Mating is still not settled." He spoke to Kaede, before looking away and leaving with Jaken holding tight to Sesshomaru's fur.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama, Rin's mating?" Jaken asked in concern.
"Urusai, Jaken!" He said angrily.
Jaken quivered and became scared and quiet.
Sesshomaru did not want to think of it anymore. It was… Annoying.
"Renji, you will wed that girl. I will make sure you will!" An old voice shrieked.
"But okaa-sama, she is very weird! She is friends with youkai!" Renji justified, not wanting anything to do with the girl.
"Urusai! You will do as I say!" The woman was losing her patience.
She put her hand forward and a sort of miasma peered out of which started surrounding the man. The man dropped on the floor as he watched the miasma close in on him, stuttering words of fear before the miasma completely became engulfed within him.
"Insolent son!"
"Rin… Will you marry me?" The same man said, bringing her out into the open field and holding her hands in his.
"N-Nani?" Rin said, caught in surprise.
"Will you be my bride?" He insisted, moving closer to her.
"M-Marry? Bride?" Rin was becoming more and more confused.
"Yes. Be my life partner. I love you Rin. Always will. Please… Consider it!" He spoke before letting go of her hand and running away.
"H-Haa…" Rin stood there, her head slightly tilted in confusion.
How was she supposed to respond to such a… Proposal?
"Eeh! Renji-kun asked you to marry him!" Kagome yelled, wringing Inuyasha's neck just because the news shocked and annoyed her.
"H-Hai…" Rin smiled unsurely.
"Kaede-baa-san!" Kagome turned to the old Miko.
"Yes. His family is a very noble family who shifted to this village two years ago. They are a good family and seems that their young master is… Madly in love with Rin." She said seriously, feeling uncomfortable with the last part of the sentence.
"Rin-chan, what do you have to say to this!" Kagome said, pushing Inuyasha's head to the ground and getting in Rin's face.
Rin backed off, shocked by Kagome's level of interest. She smiled nervously and said, "I-I have no idea…"
"Do you love him?" Kagome jumped.
"N-No…" She brushed it off.
Of course not. She could not love anyone but her Lord. Not possibly.
"Well then its settled. She cannot possibly marry him if she does not love him!" Kagome declared and let Inuyasha go as he groaned under her harsh treatment.
"Kagome! That notion might be in your time but here we need to consider Rin's security and future." Kaede asserted, scolding Kagome.
"B-But Kaede-baa-san…"
"Rin, I received his family's proposal a few days back. I have yet to answer to them." Kaede spoke to Rin, watching the girl suddenly become quiet and tense.
Then she got up to her feet and left the room with everyone just staring at her departure.
"Is she upset?" Inuyasha wondered, twitching his ears.
"Saa nee…" Kaede said, getting back to crushing the herbs.
'Rin-chan…' Kagome worried about the young girl as Inuyasha sat there, as dense as ever.
"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!" He yelled out of confusion only to get a "Sit!" in return to that shout.
'Sesshomaru-sama… Of course I will not marry him. I will not go to anyone else but Sesshomaru-sama. If I get married then I will not be able to be with Sesshomaru-sama. I love Sesshomaru-sama. I will always stay with him, till the day I die.' Rin affirmed to herself, making up her mind right there and then.
The truth was, she never even considered thinking of anyone else in her life. She was always going to be Sesshomaru's. She will always serve him in whatever way he would desire. And that would definitely mean that he would never let her get married to anyone else.
She smiled as she flapped her feet in the water again, staring at the sky, wondering what her Lord was doing, and wondering if he thinks of her or not.
Jaken had decided that Sesshomaru was not in any condition to have anything living around him right now. His level of anger and frustration was emanating from within him so much as to scare even his own servants and followers which were now quite a few. In all these years, he had started to gather up his father's empire very well. Jaken's whole nation began to serve him. Demons from all over the West were slowly gathering to him, joining his empire knowing that he was indeed the strongest demon in the area, to the very least. Being in his empire not only gave them protection but also a kind of strength and power. No demon would pass over such an opportunity.
All of his enemies would never even reach anywhere close to him. Such was the strength of the Western Empire now. But if on journey, he was attacked, it was sure that the attacker was made into an example to all others. Considering all of his experiences, he still was indeed ruthless to his opposers.
Yet right now, the powerful youkai was more frustrated than he had ever been before. 'How dare the thought of a human frustrate this Sesshomaru so much!'
'She is our possession so we should bring her back. We are the owner of her life now. We have always been since her return to this world.' The demon within him spoke out.
Indeed it was worth the consideration. But upon thinking back at how many dangers he placed Rin in, his face quenched at the thought of her in danger again. That would be irritating. Yet as long as she was with him, she would always be in danger. While she was with the humans all these years, not once was she placed in any danger. Especially owing to how his worthless brother was around to protect her.
This youkai was too proud to accept that Rin's presence made him feel better than his usual nonchalant self. But it was true that he sometimes did desire her company. That is why he let her continue with him on his journey. But was this reason enough to place that girl in danger? Last time, he had almost lost her life just for strengthening his Tenseiga. At that moment he had decided that nothing was worth the cost of Rin's life. So was his small desire to have her company enough a reason? 'How weak she had me at that moment!'
So after all this frustration, he only came to this hollow conclusion that she was better off in the village. 'If Rin was harmed, it would only cause this Sesshomaru inconvenience.' He was still too proud. But even in his pride, he only wanted the best for Rin.
"Rin, you have no other choice. Sesshomaru has agreed to this arrangement." Kaede forced as Rin sat on the floor with tears in her eyes.
"No! No! I don't believe you! Sesshomaru-sama would never let me go! He would never let me go to anyone else! NO!" She screamed in ignorance, annoying Kaede more than anything.
"Hopeless child! Your wedding date has been decided!" Kaede announced before leaving the room.
"She is lying! Sesshomaru-sama would never let that happen. He hasn't come to visit once for him to accept or decline. Not once!" She told herself, 'Renji-kun can never make me happy! Only Sesshomaru-sama can! I can only be his, only be his possession, not anyone else's. I will not let that happen!'
Rin was very strong-headed. Maybe that was because of her time spent with Sesshomaru that she would always do as she pleased. Kaede found that habit of hers very troublesome sometimes. But what annoyed her the most was that she would only listen to him. She would be obedient if he told her to be. She would do everything if he said so. She needed to listen to other people as well, for her own best interest.
"Rin? Are you here?" A man's voice called out.
Rin looked up at the curtain and started shivering, not wanting him around right now, or ever if she could have her way.
The man came inside, his eyes losing the black shine as he entered the darkened room.
He was wearing a soldier's uniform, his armour strapped off for now, and his height was that of Inuyasha. He had a good build and was from a good, respectable family.
He sat on the floor in front of Rin as she moved back to be resisted by the wall.
"Rin, please. Please, please accept my proposal. Please. I wish for no one else but you!" He spoke in desperation.
'But I only wish for Sesshomaru-sama.' Rin thought to herself as she looked away from his eyes, tears brimming into her eyes.
Just then, Renji grabbed her by her arms and shook her heavily, "Rin, you have to accept!"
Rin became slightly frightened by the obsession she saw in his eyes and resisted his hold.
"No! I will not!" Rin screamed, tears falling out on her cheeks.
"WHY!" He yelled, his face inches from hers as drops of sweat moved down from her forehead in fear.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama… tasukete…" She muffled under her breath in desperation.
Just when she thought that he had released his grip from her, she felt like her right cheek was about to crack open. A harsh pang of pain rushed through her whole body and she fell to the ground hitting her head on the floor. The man stood up and then kicked her in the stomach before grabbing her by her collar and pulling her up.
"You WILL be my wife, whether you like it or not, Rin! I will never let you go!" He spat at her face which was now burning red from the right before throwing her down again and leaving.
Rin lie there on the ground, her vision blurred by the hit on her head and her body shivering in fear. 'S-Sesshomaru-sama…'
This was how it had been since the day he had asked her hand in marriage in the field. He would ask her again and again when she was alone and shake her enough to leave her in fear for a while.
"Obsession…" She muttered, getting up from the ground and leaning against the wall.
Every time she would leave the house, he would follow her. And when he found the opportunity, he would inflict upon Rin wounds, both mentally and physically. But when around people, it was as if he truly wanted nothing but Rin's happiness. It was as if he was… Possessed.
Every night, she would call out Sesshomaru's name. Every night she would wait.
Days passed as she locked herself up in her room, every single night, crying and calling out for her Lord's name. Every night wishing that he would come and save her from this. She was not going to tell any human about this. Renji was human and so was everyone else. They would never understand. The only person she would let help her would be her Lord. No one else.
"Rin-chan, please, you need to eat…" Sango pressed as she put a tray in front of her.
"Rin-chan, please." Kagome spoke as well.
Neither of them knew why she had suddenly become this way but Kagome was going to confidently bet that it was because she wanted to be with Sesshomaru and not Renji.
"R-Rin-chan, do you miss Sesshomaru-onii-san?" Kagome whispered to Rin.
Rin looked up to Kagome and only slightly nodded before looking away.
Kagome looked at Sango and Sango back at Kagome before they both nodded to each other, deciding to leave the girl alone.
A while after they left, Rin's conflicting mind finally made a decision. She was going to go see Sesshomaru herself, knowing that he would definitely want her to not get married to Renji.
The truth was that Sesshomaru had still not talked to Kaede about Rin's marriage but he did not come to affirm or decline the notion either. He just avoided seeing Rin now. Every night he would think again and again about what he should do. But he would always come to the same conclusion. 'She was better off with humans.'
'Recently, Sesshomaru-sama has been in an awfully bad mood. It is all because of that stupid Rin that Sesshomaru-sama is in such a frustrated state. Even that hanyou never made Sesshomaru-sama this annoyed.' Jaken thought to himself, eyeing Sesshomaru as he sat on his stone seat, growling out loud even though he was not noticing what he was doing himself. 'I'm glad no one else is seeing Sesshomaru-sama in this state or else those youkai would definitely talk!'
"S-Sesshomaru-sama…?" Jaken muttered.
Sesshomaru turned to Jaken with the most deathly glare he was ever given before. Jaken saw this and without saying another word, fainted right there and then.
"Che!"
"Kaede-baa-san, you can't do this! You cannot force Rin-chan into this marriage. She is unhappy, can't you see!" Kagome protested, Inuyasha noticing that this topic was dangerous to him and slipping out of the room.
"Kagome, you are still far too young to understand this. Rin cannot live with a youkai. That is just how things are and will always be." Kaede replied calmly.
"Inuyasha's mother and father were together, were they not! And Inuyasha ended up saving everyone! So why not Rin and Sesshomaru!"
"Kagome, don't be stupid! Inuyasha's mother and father had mated, but they never lived together. And his birth cost his father's life. Why do you think so? Because this is how much people hate the bonding of the human and youkai!" Kaede finally explained.
Kagome became quiet.
"Everyone began to hate Inuyasha's mother when they found out that she was bearing a youkai's son. Do you want everyone to hate Rin like that as well? She will damned by everyone, youkai and humans alike. So will Sesshomaru."
"But… As long as they have each other, that's fine, no?" Kagome whispered, her energy level collapsing as she heard Kaede's explanation.
"Don't be ridiculous! Inuyasha's father was a kind and gentle person. He was not scared of showing affection. He made sure that his mother had received every ounce of the love that everyone stopped giving her, by giving her all of that himself. Do you honestly believe that Sesshomaru has that potential? He may indeed care deeply for Rin, I never once doubted that. But the truth is that she is now growing up and will want affection. Yet he will never be able to show his affection to her because of his pride. It will simply make Rin more miserable!"
Silence filled the air for a moment. Sango and Miroku just sat there listening to the conversation between the two miko. Both sides were correct but what Kaede said just made much more sense. Either way, Rin would suffer emotionally. By being with Sesshomaru and by being separated from him.
Inuyasha was leaning next to the hut with his eyes closed, listening to the conversation but not understanding much of it. 'Sesshomaru still has his underlings surrounding the village. Feh! He should understand by now that I can protect her much better than those weak youkai!' Inuyasha thought to himself as he caught on an alien scent lurking around the village.
"Yush! I'm off!" Rin whispered to herself, picking up her small satchel and tip-toeing out of the hut. 'I will go to Sesshomaru-sama myself. He must be busy so he couldn't come.' She assured to herself.
"Juryo! Juryo! Wake up!" A small youkai from Jaken's nation spoke, poking the identical demon next to him.
"W-What…?" The other youkai spoke, rubbing his eyes and staring at his partnet, Kiryo.
"That human, she is leaving the village!" He spoke out loud.
The lying youkai stood up as if lightening had struck him and they both nodded to each other before running off into the forest towards the West.
"We must inform Jaken-sama!"
"S-S-S-Sesshomaru-sama..." Jaken shivered and barely whispered out in front of the great inu youkai.
"What!" Sesshomaru looked to him.
"R-R-Rin has l-left the village on h-her own…" As his sentence ended, he ran like lightning out of the room to hide from his Lord's wrath.
Sesshomaru, composed as he had been before Rin caused a dilemma inside of him, flew out of his chamber and disappeared.
'Rin, where did you go off to?' Sesshomaru thought to himself in agitation.
Just as he was following his usual path to the village, he caught on to her scent and followed her. She was on the path to his castle?
Just then did he hear a scream from her and descended down hurriedly, feeling the presence of two youkai around the human girl.
Rin was pinned to the tree, her eyes closed as the two youkai came closer to her. She was about to scream again when she heard a swishing sound.
'Whip?' Her eyes widened, "Sesshomaru-sama!" She rejoiced as she saw the two youkai be disintegrated by his poison claws.
"Rin, what are you doing out here?" He asked her in anger.
Rin moved from the tree and grabbed a hold of her satchel. "I was coming to see you Sesshomaru-sama."
His eyes widened slightly as he gazed at the girl before asking why.
She closed in on him and spoke, "Sesshomaru-sama! They are getting me married Sesshomaru-sama!"
Sesshomaru looked away from the human and gritted his teeth. 'Marriage!'
"Sesshomaru-sama…?" Rin asked, closing in on him even further.
"Are you not happy with that human, Rin?" He asked, trying to hide his frustration again.
"Absolutely not! I will only be happy with you Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin said eagerly.
Sesshomaru turned to look at her. Her eyes were filled with the gleam that he long since seen.
At that very moment, Sesshomaru felt weak on his knees. He was a great Youkai and everyone feared him. But at that very moment, he feared her more than anything else. He feared her words without knowing why. How dare this human have such a power over this Sesshomaru?
Her smile was pure and wide and her eyes were lightened with happiness at the mere sight of the dog youkai as he stood completely bathed in moonlight. His markings glistened slightly and his amber eyes narrowed on her.
At that moment, more than anything else, Sesshomaru wanted to say the words he would always say to Rin. Those were the same words that Rin was sure to hear from him. 'Do as you please.' Both thought to themselves.
But Sesshomaru was coveted with silence. Then he finally spoke, "Rin."
"Hai?" Rin replied happily.
"You are bleeding. Let me see your arm." Sesshomaru spoke, watching Rin as she looked at him in confusion before gazing up to her arm.
Her pink kimono was smothered with patches of blood, and her arm only now began to hurt.
Sesshomaru had sensed her blood and so spoke but he cursed himself for being so wrapped up in the thought of Rin that he did not notice this before.
"Aah! Gomen! I will dress it right now!" Rin exclaimed, knowing that the scent of human blood was not liked by Sesshomaru.
She put up her sleeve and then placed down her satchel and opened a small canteen of water and poured it on her wounded. It bit slightly but then the cool water began to soothe the scrape on her lower arm.
"I must've gotten it by the tree I was standing against." She spoke absent-mindedly.
'This girl is so prone to trouble.' Sesshomaru thought to himself as he watched Rin dress up her wound and clean it off.
He had evaded the topic for now. But as it was night time when Rin had sneaked out, Rin was tired and had soon after fallen asleep next to the same tree. Sesshomaru wanted to take her back to his Main Land immediately but then refrained from doing so knowing that the place crawled with youkai of all kinds and statures. It was too unsafe for her there.
'Safe? Every time I am with her, I need to consider her safety. She will always remain a burden on me if I keep her around. Not only this, but she will cause unnecessary problems with the empire.' He thought to himself as he watched her breathe in and out calmly.
Just then did he notice the small bruise on her forehead. 'Did she… Trip?' He thought to himself.
She was so serene, just lying there next to him and dreaming with such silence and grace. Moonlight drenched her body and strands of hair fell on her face. Her delicate hands were joined together and placed under her face as she had always done before sleeping. 'She has changed so much and yet, has not changed at all…' Sesshomaru thought to himself.
He was proud. Even he knew that much. But reality was harsher than his pride. And he decided at that moment to face it. The notion had come to him recently that Sesshomaru would be a weakling if he did not face reality as that would be ignorance. He was going to spend this night with his human ward shuffling up and then arranging his thoughts into decisions.
She had died right after she met him. Sesshomaru met her for the first time after fighting with Inuyasha and getting brutally injured. His markings were throbbing and his eyes were lashed with shock and anger. In that state, this human approached him while setting all her fears aside. Upon noticing her presence, he growled at her before noticing that it was only a small girl. He couldn't care less.
'Why did I not just kill her then?' He wondered, as he would've done in any other situation. 'Unnecessary?' he justified. 'Or just… because she was too small to bring me any harm or concern.'
There it was, the first truth. That was not bad at all, facing the truth.
She placed food for him even when he told her not to. Then she returned with bruises all over her face and body. He told her that she didn't need to answer if she didn't wish to. But what he received from her was a smile.
'Smile? Ha. Foolish girl, smiling in the face of this Sesshomaru. Had she no care for her life?' He wondered again. 'Smile… the smile as bright as the moon.'
There is was again, the truth. This time, a lot harsher than before. To think that he would even consider thinking of such a compassionate thought.
She died later that day by the wolves. 'I followed her scent even when I did not wish to. And saw her lying hollow on the floor, blood all over her torn and filthy dress. The Tenseiga then forced me into saving her life.' He continued. 'Truth. If it wasn't for Tenseiga's calling, never would I have saved her life.'
There wasn't anything hard about accepting this. This truth was just as he wanted it to be.
'But after brining her back to life, I let her follow me. That was my decision altogether. Why did I let her follow me?' he thought for a while. 'Smile…? Because she smiled at this Sesshomaru. How absurd for I was never this emotional. That was not true. But maybe because she was brought back by the tenseiga and so I thought that she might be of some importance to the Tenseiga.'
Truth.
'She continued to stay with me and I bore with her laughter and noise.' He put aside his pride for just that moment. 'Because her laughter and cries had become… homely. They were something I had always returned to. She was always there waiting for me no matter how long it took me. She was… home.'
Truth.
His teeth gritted and his fists clenched in anger. 'Home! A mere human girl being 'HOME'!'
He stared at Rin again, his eyes angered by the thought. But she lie there motionless, smiling only slightly as if seeing a good dream.
'I protected her not because she was my possession, but because she had her importance for me. With her gone, I would've failed myself! GODDAMMIT!'
As the truths started compiling within him, he became more and more irritated.
'For the first time in my entire existence, did I doubt myself. This mere human made this Sesshomaru doubt his actions when she died in the underworld. She made me wish that I had never placed her in danger. She made me want to change my past! How dare she! She made me angry! She made me spiteful! She made me feel like nothing else was worth anything! She made me concerned! She made me feel sorrow and regret! She made me feel worthless human emotions which could only weaken me! This mere human! THIS WORHTLESS HUMAN-'
Just as he was about to unleash havoc throughout the forest, his level of anger reach its epitome, his body froze as he heard his name.
"Sesshomaru… Sama…" Rin spoke in her soft quiet voice as she smiled in her sleep before turning to the other side.
His body froze and his anger disappeared as if rinsed off. He gazed at her small figure in shock and awe. His legs hurt from restlessness yet his body became numb.
'This worthless human… Is of more worth… Than anything else in this world…'
His body calmed down and he eased up a bit.
'Naraku tried to harm her and the justification I presented while saving her every single time was that if I had brought her back to life and taken charge of her then if anyone lay a finger on her, they would be attacking my pride and challenging my strength. That was partly true, I would never let anyone challenge me.' But the truth was that he would never let himself ponder over how it would be if Rin was no longer there. Even as she lie dead in his mother's empire, he still did not wish to think of how it would be without her. He would never let him mind go to such dark thoughts. Was he willing to think of those now?
'Rin… Why? Why do you stay with this Sesshomaru? Why do you smile for me? Why do you always… Win?'
Sesshomaru, Son of the Late Ruler of the Western Lands and now Lord of almost the entire West, had given in for the first time, and that, to a powerless human girl.
"Rin…" He whispered to himself as he extended his hand out after some hesitation and stroked back the strands of her on her face. 'Rin…'
*Stretches* DONE! I'm sorry it is brief and I'm rushing the story. But I just want to get to the juicy parts already! Haha =)
R and R!
