Title: Chapter 2
Author: SakuraRyuu
Rating: K
Genre: Canon, Angst, Comfort, Family, Friendship, Suspense
Characters: Ah-Un, Jaken, Rin, Sesshomaru
Author's Note: Inuyasha and all characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.
Rin found herself alone for the rest of the afternoon with only Ah-Un for company. What the boy had said earlier made her doubt Lord Sesshomaru's intentions for her. She had never given such things any thought before, simply taking it for granted that, in his own way, her Lord liked having her around. He certainly didn't turn her away or leave her behind unless he had some errand that needed his attention and was too dangerous for her. This made her think even harder. What did her Lord do when she wasn't with him? True he always left her with a companion for protection when he wasn't there, but he always left with no explanation. Was he backtracking to villages they had passed to eat villagers? Whenever she offered him something to eat he always responded that he didn't eat human food. Maybe it was because he ate humans for food instead? With no one else to talk to she turned to her companion, who had plopped back down under his sakura tree, watching her lazily.
"What do you think, Ah-Un?" Rin asked the dragon. He simply looked at her. "Does Lord Sesshomaru go to villages and eat people? I've never seen him eat anything and I've certainly never heard of him eating a human. I don't think a human would taste very good." Ah-Un grumbled at her, causing Rin to jump to her feet and turn around in time to see her Lord stride into the clearing. As he approached her she smiled, holding out the bouquet she picked for him. Lord Sesshomaru looked at the flowers then at Rin.
"Rin, I trust you fared well?" he asked the girl.
"Yes, my lord!" Rin piped up enthusiastically.
Lord Sesshomaru turned and walked away to settle beneath a tree, never acknowledging the flowers Rin had picked for him. Usually this would not bother her, but after her talk with the boy she began to wonder if maybe he was right. Was her Lord waiting till she was plump enough to eat? She looked over herself, noting she wasn't very plump at all. This relieved her because, she reasoned, if she wasn't plump her Lord had no reason to eat her. This thought made her feel much better and she dismissed the idea he would be interested in eating her. Rin further decided whatever her Lord did when she wasn't in his presence was none of her concern, otherwise, he would tell her where he was and what he did. And he rarely came back injured so she was sure whatever it was wasn't dangerous.
With that settled, Rin's mind wandered further. She began to question Lord Sesshomaru's indifference to the flowers she had picked for him. She was beginning to wish she had never met the boy or had that conversation that was making her fret in ways she never had before. She began thinking of all the things she did for him that he ignored or barely acknowledged. The bouquet of flowers she had picked that day, the food she always offered him, asking him if there was anything he needed or she could do for him, all these offerings were met with a glance, a cocked eyebrow, or a curt response. True he almost never showed emotion to anyone, however, she was beginning to feel it possible her Lord did not care for her. Sudden movement caught her eye and she noticed him rising from his resting spot.
"Jaken, stay here with Rin and Ah-Un" Lord Sesshomaru called, knowing Jaken could hear him.
"Where are you going, my Lord?" Jaken cried, scampering out from behind the tree Lord Sesshomaru had been resting against. The little, green imp was almost panicking that he was being left behind. His question received no response as his Lord disappeared into the lush foliage.
Rin waited, watching Jaken grumble at being in charge of the whelp yet again and complaining he was not a babysitter. She giggled under her breath, always amused by his gruff nature.
"Jaken," Rin called to him pleasantly from beside Ah-Un. "Why do you think Lord Sesshomaru allows me to follow him? Do you think he likes me?"
"Bothersome child!" Jaken grumbled at Rin, not caring how he sounded to her. "We are not to question my Lord's intentions! He does as he pleases, not explaining himself to anyone! We should feel honored just to be in his presence!"
"I know, Master Jaken!" Rin replied. "But do you think my Lord likes me?"
"Why would he?" Jaken replied harshly. "You are a weak and useless human child! You are a nuisance with all your endless singing and chattering. Your constant need to rest and eat slows us down. You are a burden to my Lord! I don't know why Lord Sesshomaru puts up with such a mortal!"
"I'm sure my Lord would tell me if I were any of those things." Rin protested. Then, as if second guessing herself, she mumbles, "He would, wouldn't he?"
Jaken folds his arms and glares at the girl. "Of course he wouldn't! Why would he waste his breath to explain something that should be so obvious?"
As Rin thinks on what Jaken had told her an uneasiness settled over her. What he said made sense and the thought of being unwanted by her Lord simply broke her heart. Hoping against hope that someone wanted her, she turned to Jaken with one last question.
"Well, at least you like me, don't you, Master Jaken?" she asked him, her voice trembling.
Not paying any attention to Rin's upset; Jaken leaned back on Ah-Un and replied with a gruff, "Humph" before completely disregarding the girl.
A moment passed as Rin took in everything Jaken had said to her. She was more upset now than she was after she had talked with the boy. Looking at the imp she made a decision.
"If no one likes me being here then I'm leaving!" Rin cried pitifully.
Jaken looked at the girl in surprise. "Wha…?! No, Rin!"
"You're mean, Master Jaken!" Rin yelled, tearing up and running aimlessly into the forest.
"Now I've done it! Lord Sesshomaru will skin me alive if that child isn't here when he returns!"
"Rin! Come back! Rin!" Jaken called after the child as she disappeared into the forest. Ah-Un looked at him and the imp almost swore he saw pity in the dragon's eyes.