Chapter Four

"Kagome?" asked Inuyasha meekly, from a safe distance away. He knew his wife well enough to give her a wide berth when she looked this angry. He had known this particular look of hers to move mountains.

While warning bells were definitely going off in Sesshoumaru's head, and he was rather taken aback at Kagome's unexplained aggression, he managed to stay his ground and ask in a neutral tone, "What is it,"

"No, no, don't you act all aloof with me now. I'm not impressed, and I won't have it. You will tell now why you've made Rin sob like that," said Kagome, looking murderous.

At her impudence, a low growl escaped Sesshoumaru despite his best efforts to appear dispassionate. He turned to Inuyasha and said lowly, "Control your woman."

More than a little relieved that he was not the object of Kagome's rage, Inuyasha barked out a laugh at Sesshoumaru's command and said, "Anybody who thinks anybody can control Kagome is a fool who needs a good kick up the ass."

"Inuyasha, will you please tell me what's happened?" said Kagome, struggling to calm herself down.

"Well, I don't know everything, but it's to do with Rin and Tadahiko."

"Sesshoumaru, you didn't!" exclaimed Kagome in horror, "Please tell me you haven't killed or injured that poor boy over his crush on Rin!"

"Oh, he's done far worse," sighed Inuyasha resignedly before Sesshoumaru could respond. "He's gone and told Rin that she has His Highness's blessing to marry Tadahiko. And before she could say anything, he upped and left."

"What is wrong with you?" demanded Kagome, looking at Sesshoumaru with frustration.

Supremely aggravated by Inuyasha and his insolent wife, Sesshoumaru turned to both of them and thundered, "This Sesshoumaru will say this for the last time; stop squawking and listen well. This Sesshoumaru has always desired nothing for Rin but happiness and well-being. Implying otherwise again will prove severely detrimental to you."

"Watch where you're going with the threats, asshole," snarled Inuyasha, while Kagome simply looked exasperated. "I am not saying you don't have her best interests at heart. I know you do. I know you would kill her, that you would die for her. But don't you see how wrong you are in this situation?" said Kagome.

Sesshoumaru resolutely turned his back on them, deciding that it wasn't worth his time or dignity to listen to their nonsense. Realizing that Sesshoumaru was about to leave, Inuyasha snapped, "Oh, wake up, idiot. She's saying Rin's in love with you, not the other kid. And don't think we don't know that you love her as well."

Stopping but not turning, Sesshoumaru said slowly, "It is still best for her to be with her own kind."

Huffing, Kagome grumbled, "Cut from the same cloth, the pair of you!" Ignoring Inuyasha's noises of protest, she walked around to face Sesshoumaru and made sure to look him in the eyes as she said, "Will you for one moment, deign to consider what she wants and not what is "best for her?" Your idea what she needs is not always right, you know! Think I don't know what I'm talking about? I had years of this one," and here, she shot Inuyasha a fond look, "thinking he knew what was "best for me." I was yelled at, ignored, and shoved back into the Well. He even tried to block the Well on more than one occasion. Now look at us! Five hundred years couldn't keep us apart. And let me tell you, the three years without Inuyasha were misery. Don't you dare let that happen to Rin by letting your stubbornness get in the way."

While he looked rather guilty as Kagome was talking, Inuyasha sobered up quickly and said earnestly, "What Kagome's saying is true. You'd have to be one dense fuck-up not to notice the way Rin looks at you. And we've all seen her around you. And she's so cut up whenever you leave, it's downright depressing. The poor kid doesn't deserve that. She's really something. Respect her enough to allow her to make her own choice. Just be real careful and real sure before you give her the choice, though. She'll be your equal, not just a sweet little kid who used to follow you around."

Stricken by their words, Sesshoumaru made sure that his facial muscles were not betraying him by taking a deep, calming breath. Giving them both the most imperceptible of nods, he walked away… in the direction of the village.