A/N: so, a few things before we go much further. Firstly, I promise this isn't going to stay slice-of-life forever! There will be action! Drama! Mystery and intrigue! I promise!
Secondly, I have a very busy schedule, so this will on average be updated once a week on Mondays. If you're lucky or I have extra time during the week it may also be updated back-to-back Sunday and Monday. I value quality over quantity, but whether I write one chapter or five they will only be released Sunday/Monday, so look for them then!
Thirdly, please feel free to review! Even if all you have to say is "it's awesome! Write more!" I love to hear it. You are welcome to PM with any questions or suggestions for the title- the current one is just a placeholder so I will want to make it something original eventually. Many thanks to Kaelag for my first review! You made my day!
Finally, I've done some calculations and since I didn't say in the first chapter (I will probably revise it once I get a few more chapters up) it was the second week of October when he came to fetch Rin, and in the following couple of chapters, about 18 months will pass. You'll get to see why eventually. *wink wink* anyway, on with the story!
Rin woke very early the next morning, before the sun had risen, and decided to walk out into the manor's garden. She loved the small bamboo fountain in the koi pond and settled herself beside it, waiting for the mid-october day to begin properly.
Sesshomaru had stayed up most of the night finishing the reply to the treaty he'd begun the day before. He stood by the east wall, under the oldest cherry tree in the gardens, watching the sky lighten with the first hints of dawn. Rin…is no longer a little girl…he mused, seeing the red and orange begin to blossom across the sky.
Seeing the sky begin to lighten in earnest, Rin rose from the edge of the pond and made her way over to the east wall. Spotting her lord, she skipped over and let out a cheerful "Ohayoo!" morning!
He straightened from leaning against the tree and nodded. "ohayoo, Rin." She gave him a bright smile and stepped next to him onto a tree root, getting a better view of the swiftly coming sunrise. "I never used to like the sunrise," she commented suddenly.
The comment surprised him, and he looked back at her for a moment. "why is that?"
She frowned softly, remembering the dark days before Sesshomaru-sama had found her- or, properly, before she had found him. "because, it meant I had to live through another day…" she explained, her voice hollow. "I couldn't go to be with my parents yet."
He frowned softly, looking more closely at her, remembering the day, not long ago for him, when she'd tried to offer him a fish she'd stolen. The awful cuts and bruises on her face from the men who'd discovered her theft and beaten her- truly she had had a wretched life. After he had saved her, he'd vowed (though he could barely admit it, even to himself) that she would never come to harm again, and anyone who tried would meet a swift and terrible end.
She looked back up at him with a ghost of a smile. "after you saved me from the wolves, I realized the sunrise was a happy thing. It meant I got to spend the day happy."
He patted her head gently. "I see."
It meant I got to spend the day with you…she thought. She shut her eyes for a moment, enjoying the warm weight of his hand on her head- he rarely touched her, especially in any way that could be termed "affectionate"…and as she'd grown such displays became almost non-existent and even more cherished because of that. "ah, how long will we be staying here this time?"
"actually, we will be planting roots here for a bit." He afforded himself a tiny smile, seeing her eyes were shut. He quite enjoyed the feeling of her silky raven hair under his palm.
Her eyes popped open again and he quickly schooled his features before she looked at him. "really?" she tried not to bounce at the prospect. "ah- but does that mean you'll be leaving us behind, and going alone?" he'd only just gotten her back- surely he wouldn't leave her again so soon!
"at times, yes." He watched her face fall instantly. "but, I will be staying here for the most part."
She cheered up again at the reassurance that he would be staying at least some of the time. Rin would take what she could get, as always. She leaned a little more into the hand still on her head, really enjoying the feeling just as much as he did, and let out a happy hum, closing her eyes again. His faint smile returned when she did. He gently rubbed his hand on her head more, amused at the thought that it was rather like how a human pet a dog- though a pet was very far from how he viewed Rin, of course.
She heard the birds start to sing in the trees, heralding the new October morning as the sky lightened fully, and smiled widely. Truly she had a better family now than she ever could have had- she would even put up with jaken for just a few moments like this one. She shifted closer to Sesshomaru, for the day was cold as it began- the morning dew could easily have been frost. He stiffened slightly as she leaned into his side, glancing down at her in confusion. She felt him stiffen up, but didn't move away, nor did he make her do so. He carefully moved his hand from her head to her far shoulder, telling himself it was simply a more comfortable position. He was confused about holding her- it didn't alarm or disgust him in the slightest. In fact, he liked her proximity quite a bit. And her scent- perhaps he'd gotten used to it over the years- but she didn't stink like humans did. In fact, she smelled very nice indeed…
Sesshomaru was very grateful when Rin's stomach growled, breaking the moment before it could become awkward. "sounds like you're hungry. You should go eat."
She didn't want to move- the glowing warmth in her chest as he held her assured her she would never need food again so long as she stayed by his side. But her stomach growled again, more insistently, reminding her not to be a fool. She sighed and reluctantly slid out from under the hand on her shoulder, going back inside to get something for breakfast.
By December, they had fallen into an easy rhythm. It turned out the meetings and outings Sesshomaru had to attend were mostly fairly regularly scheduled, the first week of each month. Rin always missed him most during this time, as the four days after three days of the new moon were when she got her blood, and that was always an unpleasant experience. Jaken avoided her during that time, and she didn't blame him in the slightest, knowing she got crabby and emotional. She suspected that it was why Sesshomaru-sama scheduled his meetings for that time, but she didn't say anything.
One day, after sitting out to watch the sunrise again, Sesshomaru followed Rin to the dining hall for breakfast. He sometimes sat with her at meals, but so far, she still had never seen him eat. She brought over two bowls of soup, more as a joke than anything, and set one down in front of him, sitting opposite. He gave a very slight playful smirk and hooked a claw over the edge of the bowl, pulling it closer to him. Rin had already started eating the bits of floating mushroom and the noodles and was trying not to make it so obvious she was watching to see what he'd do.
After getting the bowl within range, he picked up his chopsticks and pulled out a piece of meat, starting to eat it. Rin almost choked on a noodle in surprise and started coughing. He jumped to his feet in alarm. "Rin!"
"I'm fine, I'm fine! *cough* honest!" she gasped, taking a quick drink of tea to clear her throat. He sat back down, frowning in worry. "I'm okay," she repeated. "I thought you didn't eat human food?"
"it isn't human food. Mine was made separately." Rin eyed it, but it looked no different from her food, except that it had a bit more meat. She didn't like meat very much, and asked for fish if it was appropriate. Meat was for the rich.
"they did a good job disguising it. How did they know which bowl I would give you?" aside from the obviously copious amount of meat, that was.
He didn't state the obvious but instead decided to tease her. "they didn't. I'm taste testing." He suddenly switched the bowls and took a mushroom from hers, pretending to savor it far more than he did.
Rin turned green in horror. If that isn't human food…what under the kami have I been eating?! She thought in alarm.
He frowned a little in concern at her change in complexion and switched the bowls back quickly before producing a small vial of tinted liquid. "here. This can calm your stomach."
She shook her head, holding up a hand. "It's fine. I'm done eating." She stood from the table and left more than half her bowl of soup uneaten, giving it a disgusted glance.
Sesshomaru was content to keep eating, until he saw the face she made. He quickly stood and stopped her. "Rin, what's the matter?"
"if that isn't human food, just what have I been eating all this time?!" she demanded in a shrill voice he had to stop himself from wincing at.
"you have only eaten human food. When you told the cooks that I was dining with you, they made mine separately. If you were to eat my food, you would know- it would make you ill."
Rin looked back at the bowls again. She couldn't help but think he was pulling her leg, but decided to let the matter pass. She sat back at the table, returning to her food.
"if I eat with you in future, you need me to eat first, to ensure you don't get sick." He went back to his own bowl, fishing out another piece of meat.
"is there any way for me to tell them apart? Or would I just get sick?" she wondered aloud, only half asking him. She started to drink the broth.
"I will have them mark the bowls or plates."
So…it is just the same, then. Rin hummed thoughtfully, finishing her food and setting the bowl down lightly, pouring another cup of tea.
"humans can't taste any difference," he elaborated, finishing his own soup.
"but you can, of course."
"I can, yes." He poured himself a cup of tea, savouring it.
She shrugged. "it's no wonder you don't like humans- we're blind and deaf compared to you."
He slowly lowered his cup, eyeing her in slight annoyance. Though she'd been here two months already, he still wasn't used to her new attitude. It must come with growing up, he supposed- but that didn't mean he had to like it.
She noticed his look and looked away. "ah…sorry." I have to keep reminding myself that a woman can't speak her mind as freely as a child might- I'm going to get myself in serious trouble with that if I'm not careful.
He went back to his tea, not acknowledging her apology since he didn't feel it to be necessary. It was as much of a learning curve for her as it was for him, and if she apologized every time he got the slightest bit annoyed he'd never want to hear "gomen nasai" ever again, no matter how much it was needed.
Rin fidgeted awkwardly in the silence and finally rose, gathering the dishes to take back to the kitchen. "I'll, ah, find something to do." She waited until he nodded, then moved off as he sat staring into his cup of tea, frowning slightly as he contemplated once more what to do with her…
