Chapter 3: Puppy Love
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The best girls are always gonna be the most difficult, so deal with it.
I hate you. Ask her why and she'll hate you even more for pestering her. Dont ask her why and she'll hate you even more for not caring.
Upsetting your woman sucks. But it's when you dont upset her anymore, that's when you know you really have problems.
If you dont understand that pleasing a woman is a full-time job, then you're probably gonna get fired.
He's not doing a particularly great job at being a husband, but he doesnt have his head underwater either.
When Sesshomaru came home he saw his royal aide pacing restlessly outside his work station. The imp was mumbling so fast he couldnt make out anything he was saying.
"Jaken."
The smaller demon almost jumped out of his skin upon hearing his name.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Y-you're back so early."
"Yes."
He was about to head for their bedchamber when the imp blocked his way. "Uh, arent you hungry, master? I'll have the cook prepare something right away!"
"I've eaten."
He took another step but the imp was persistent.
"Out of my way Jaken. I need to talk to my wife."
"Ah! The lady...about that my lord..." Jaken's knees are shaking. His master will surely have his head for this.
"Spit it out Jaken."
"The missus, she's missing. But I've already ordered the men to search for her."He braced himself but nothing happened.
The demon lord walked away as if nothing was wrong. "Call it off."
Sesshomaru knew she was going to pull something like this. So he came prepared.
"Eh? Pardon me, my lord?" Was he having hearing problems now. Is the great lord really serious? "Lord Sesshomaru, she is with child. Are you not worried?"
"She doesnt want to see me right now."
"Don't you want to look for her?"
"She doesnt exactly want to be found."
"Then you know where Rin is my lord?"
"She's fine. No need to fret Jaken."
The aide couldnt help it though. This was the missus they are talking about. She is missing and his stoic master isnt even blinking an eye. What has the world come to?
"How could he be so certain?"
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Rin stomped her way off the bushes and into a small clearing beside the lake. She and her husband had a fight. Okay, she started the fight.
It was such a small thing really, but lately she's developed a knack for making things escalate out of control.
"He didnt even went after me. That idiot!" She sighed in defeat.
"I wont talk to him, he'll see. I wont share beds either!" She counted the ways she planned on getting back at him.
"Well, I'll eat of course." Remembering her condition. "You need all the nutrients to grow big and strong." She talked to the growing being inside of her. Her baby. Their child.
"But your father is really stubborn!" She huffed.
She remembered the look he gave her when she told him she wanted him to stay at the palace.
"Rin, be reasonable. I am the Lord of this Kingdom. I need to go and oversee things on a regular basis. I cant stay here all day. You know that."
"But you have capable men. They report to you everyday."
"Is something the matter? Why do you want me to stay at home all of a sudden?"
She admits it. She had been really clingy these past few days, even her non-pregnant self would have cringed at the thought. But that'z the thing, she is pregnant and her hormones are all over the place.
"I feel lonely."
"We eat together. We sleep together. I always come home to you."
"You dont allow me to go out anymore."
"Your condition is delicate. You're only 2 months into it."
"And I dont get to see you as often. We dont even talk."
"That's because you're always sleeping in. We're talking now."
"I fall asleep waiting for you. Not this kind of talk. "
Sesshomaru sighed.
He sighed! "You dont get my point at all!"
"Rin, calm down."
"Just go." She dismissed.
"Rin."
"Hurry. The others are already waiting for you." She was really upset.
"I'll be home before you know it." He promised hoping to ease her ire.
.
That was unusual. By now, the palace guards would have been all over the region looking for her.
Or he would be looking for her. He'd march up to her all stoic and cold and angry. Like the many times she'd gone against his orders in the past. She smiled at the memory.
But he wont be home till later in the night, so he probably doesnt know she went missing yet. But Jaken would have a fit by now. She giggled at the image of the imp pulling at his non-existent hair.
She was laughing at her mischief when she heard a rustle from behind her. She stood up from where she was seated on the ground, alarmed at the sound.
A rabit had jump out from the grass and ran to the other side of the forest. She heard a low growl next and her heart rate started to increase.
She never heard of wild animals in this part of the palace. But if she were to meet some sort of danger while she was out here, Sesshomaru wont forgive her if anything bad happens to her and their baby.
She picked up a stick from the ground and waited for whatever was behind the bushes. The rustling came closer and closer. She may be pregnant, but she was still Rin, the fierce Sazhada of her village.
She let out a loud sigh of relief when the creature came into view.
A white furry pup.
"Aww...you scared me little fellow." She knelt down and extended her hand, palm open.
The pup came closer and licked her fingers. She giggled. "That's ticklish." She patted and rubbed at the back of its head.
What breed could this one be she wondered. It was clearly a puppy, but it wasnt your average-size pup.
Taking that she wasnt in any kind of peril, she continued to have her solitary walk. The dog at her trail.
"Stop following me around." But the big ball of fur didnt listen.
"Oh alright. But you have to keep up." She couldnt carry the dog. It was rather big for its age. And it looked heavy too.
When she reached the bend where the river met the lake she sat on the lush green grass. The puppy stood at a distance.
She played with the stick she found earlier in front of the dog. It raised its head and looked at her outstretched arm. "Go fetch!" She threw the stick but the pup merely followed it with its gaze.
It looked at her dryly and then sat on the grass. "Lazy mutt." She huffed.
"You remind me of someone." She walked next to the dog and sat beside it. "He too never listens to a thing I say."
"No playing catch for you then." The dog wasnt going to move a muscle. She gave up on the idea of playing catch. She wouldnt be able to keep up anyways, what with the extra weight she had.
"I will tell you a story though." The place hasnt changed even with the years. She smiled at the memory. "On this very spot, is where the younger me met my first love."
She remembered running away from the palace guards when she bumped into Sesshomaru causing him to fall into the water, soaked from head to toe. The scowl he had back then, how his brows scrunched and how vivid his magenta marks were in the bright sunlight.
The dog raised its head as if it understood what she were saying. "But dont tell my dear husband that. He already has an ego the size of this lake."
If he found out he would get all smug about it. And he will bully her to no end.
" It would be our secret, okay?"
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Sesshomaru cocked a brow. Apparently his beloved wife has a pretty good opinion of him. Lazy? Stubborn? She's one to talk.
He could only shake his head. The little minx is really taking advantage of her pregnancy.
Her first love huh? He couldnt help but smirk.
"Lord Sesshomaru, it's getting late, Rin hasnt come back yet." Jaken reminded.
"She'll be back soon."
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It was getting dark and with her condition, she shouldnt be out in the cold damp air of the evening. Rin decided to call it a day and started to retrace her steps back into the woods.
The pup ran ahead of her, sniffing around as it did. It stopped a few feet from her, growling. When she saw its eyes turn red and bare fangs, she panicked. Even in the dim light she could see it grew in size.
She heard swift movement from the ground so she backed a few steps. The next thing she knew, the dog was in frong of her, a dead snake inbetween its teeth.
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Rin entered the palace grounds with the dog in tow. Apparently, her husband had returned awhile back and he was already waiting for her in their chambers.
And he didnt even come looking for her? He was really planning on ignoring her. Well, two can play at this game.
"You're sleeping on the other room. This brave little guy will stay with me. He saved me from that mean and dangerous snake while mister husband here was off somewhere." She threw him an annoyed look.
"You sent me away."
"I was thinking of asking Kohaku to find its owner tomorrow." She babbled not listening to a word he said. "To thank them properly."
"I should be rewarded then."
Sesshomaru knelt down and extended an arm. The pup got up and went to him.
"Where are you going little fellow?" She called out when it jumped from her lap.
When she saw the pup run to her husband and turned back into his mokomoko Rin was dumbfounded.
"So, you were saying?" He raised a brow to mock her.
"But, h-how?"
"I'll be sleeping here, that's my reward. As for your punishment..." He walked closer to the bed.
"Punishment?"
"Yes. Punishment. You've been a very bad girl today."
"Eh?" She panicked.
"Lazy?" He climbed and joined her in bed. " I'll show you just how hardworking I am." He pushed her gently on her back and laid her on the bed. He stopped atop her, looming over her.
She blushed scarlet on his implication. "Sesshomaru! You big meanie! You were listening the whole time!"
He captured her lips and drowned out her protests. She could all but respond to the intrusion of his warm tongue and the taste of his soft lips on hers. And get lost in the many sensations his touch leave on her skin.
She struggled to steady her breathing when he broke the passionate kiss. Her eyes glazed over, still reeling from the pleasure he gave her.
"I'll let you in on a little secret." He bent down and whispered in her ear.
She turned even redder, embarassed that her husband knew of her childhood crush. And how those juvenile feelings of deep admiration she had kept for that beautiful boy for so long had blossomed into true love.
His words kept ringing in her head.
"That cute little girl was my first love too."