Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Rin's song.
Crystal Clear
Sesshoumaru and she were back on speaking terms, though, to be fair, he had never really stopped talking to her; he was merely giving her the time to deal with Kohaku on her own. Or so he said. I never really thought he hated the guy that much.
At the moment, too many things were on her mind and she needed to keep her focus on the upcoming math test; this time, she wouldn't have Kohaku to help her with the subject, and she really was not looking forward to another confrontation between Kikyo and Sesshoumaru, last time that had happened, she nearly fainted from the exhaustion.
Rin was so busy thinking of what to do, she really didn't notice the "slippery" sign on the floor, so she ended in the most embarrassing position on the floor, heads up, and with the worse headache she had felt in a long time.
-ouch! That must have hurt little girl, are you ok? - She sat down and stared directly at a pair of bare feet in front of her. His baggy red pants and tousled long hair gave him the appearance of someone who'd just got out of bed. Physicist?
- I'm ok; thanks- then, the guy did a strange gesture, like he was sniffing her? That left her positively puzzled.
- You wouldn't happen to know any bastard by the name of Sesshoumaru, would ya? - She quirked an eyebrow at him, but nodded her head anyways. That precise moment she realized the resemblances between this stranger and her best friend.
The man stared her up and down, mumbling something intelligible under his breath while unconsciously scratching a set of ears just above his head – something wrong?- she asked now looking closely at his moving ears, surely those cannot be real…
He never answered, but just when she thought he was going to help her get up, he ruffled her head and left- gee, you could at least help me pick up my stuff.
That day, she went to her classes as usual. Totosai apparently had some urgent business down town, so he moved the class to another night session. She did her best not to try to connect that day with the events of the last time she had night class. It was just too much.
She entered her dorm room, intent on getting some of her papers done by the end of the afternoon, but as she was about to get her books out she noticed there was a note over her pillow.
It was handwritten with the exquisite letters of a practiced calligrapher; on the envelope read a single word "Rin".
When she opened it, she realized the whole letter was some Kind of Riddle, a single leaf fell off the neatly folded letter
Would you dare take the bait?
Sesshoumaru…
She went to find him. Whatever reason he may have had to seek her out had her more than a little curious; she was excited.
She put on her winter boots, grabbed a pink winter coat and headed outside, barely taking a glance at the new girl in the living room. She ran all the way to the gardens, where she figured Sesshoumaru would be. Although there had been no name on the letter, she had a feeling only he knew her good enough to know she loved games.
Everyone in the way looked at her and stuck up their noses, she didn't care; this little adventure had her hanging on every move.
He watched as she came running into the gardens. He hid behind a tree and watched her reach the middle of an open field. She looked around suspiciously and he knew somehow she felt his presence, even though she could not see him, he made sure of that. He watched curiously as she closed her eyes and began chanting an unknown tune.
In the mountain.
In the forest.
In the wind.
In a Dream.
Sesshoumaru-sama, Where are you?
He was left speechless, her imagination was truly endless, he unconsciously moved forward and the weight of his body snapped a twig beneath his feet. She opened her eyes and the fire he saw in them almost left him rooted to the spot, however, as she came running his way, he leaped into a nearby tree and hid once again, trying to imagine how she could have found him. Never in his life had someone been able to tell where he was, but this girl, Rin… she had found him just like that. She stood perfectly still for a few minutes, he was caught in her resolution. She knew he was there, but she was waiting for something. She probably thinks I'll make the same mistake again- His lips quirked in a smirk- Not likely to happen twice, little Rin.
In the distance, he smelled rain coming and wondered what she was going to do once it started raining. She took some deep breaths
-I know you're there Sesshoumaru, I don't know how, but I know. You should come out - she said, trying to get him to show himself.
He stood quietly waiting for her next move, the wind tossed her long brown hair everywhere, she looked wild, untamed, captivating.
She saw a flash of light behind her closed lids, she smiled, and as soon as the thunder struck, she was dashing his way once again and the chase began.
He had to admire her cleverness; she had been waiting for an opportunity to catch him off guard. He decided it was time to make things more interesting. He didn't move.
She felt the sudden rush of adrenaline flow through her veins as she saw him, the rain started pouring heavily from the sky. Rin laughed gloriously, feeling the cold water on her burning cheeks. She was six steps away from him, her breath coming out in raged puffs of air… five… Four... three gotcha… two…- Eep! - She let out the most ridiculous exclamation of surprise as he suddenly vanished from her sight. Rin tried to turn mid-run as he had disappeared, but the grass was already wet from the rain, and the water pooled under her feet. She slipped and fell on the grass face up.
He stopped when he heard her fall, she didn't move, and rain was now falling so heavy his senses were becoming a little numb, and that was a lot to tell. He rushed to her side, leaning over her.
Too late did he realize Rin was actually quite conscious and she was out to get him, he leaped just out of her reach as her hand flew faster than he would have assumed for someone so little. He felt as she brushed the hem of his shirt. He had to give her credit she's proving to be a lot more fun than I had anticipated. He smirked down at her; she got up, and ran after him, laughing the whole way.
He was playing with her and he was having fun. While she ran full speed after him, he only retracted backwards from her. She was sweating while he easily dodged her every move. Every time she came close to catching him, he slipped just out of her reach. God, she was enjoying this. And he was smirking at her the whole way.
- You think you're so superior don't you? - She yelled at him. He would have thought she was mad, but the childish smile on her face told him otherwise.
- I don't think I'm superior, I know I am- he said dodging her grasp once more.
She was becoming better at predicting his moves I'll have to change that. He moved left, grabbed her waist and kicked her legs, making her lose her balance immediately. She laughed loudly once more, but she wasn't going to lose, she brought him down with her.
It all happened so fast she barely had time to react, she felt herself being swept off her feet, so she had done the first thing that came to mind; she held tightly to him and pulled on his trousers, it made him loose his balance just as she was about to fall.
She fell on her back once again; her hair sprawled everywhere, soaking in the water and mud on the grass. She was still laughing with her eyes closed when she landed, she felt Sesshoumaru land over her, but she didn't care, that was the most fun she had had in ages.
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his, It's like the last time, his eyes look surreal
- So what now? I've got you- she said pulling on his belt loops to make her point.
- It would seem it's actually the other way around Rin, don't you agree? - He said, lifting an eyebrow meaningfully.
She looked at the way he was leaning over her, their entwined legs and the way their hair mingled on the ground. She had never been this close to him, or any other man for that matter.
Rin blushed hotly, her face contrasting dramatically to the rest of her pale cold face. She lifted an arm between them and tried to push him off her, not really sure if it was what she wanted at all.
- What's wrong Rin? Are you not comfortable? - He asked cockily, enjoying her vain efforts to push him off her.
She sighed frustrated, shaking her head at his audacity – not at all Sesshoumaru-sama; however, I would very much like it if you would be as kind as to get off me- she said smiling playfully at him.
- Very well, there is only one condition though- and he narrowed his eyes dangerously- yield- he said to her ear.
Had he been anyone else, he would have been unable to hold back his laugher at the sight of her face. It was hilarious… however, this is Sesshoumaru we're talking about, and so he remained expressionless.
- What? - She blinked so fast the raindrops gathered in her eyelashes fell down her eyes in an instant.
- I will not repeat myself Rin- he said, flashing her with his sharp teeth.
- I will not let myself be intimidated by him- very well then; I'm not in a rush… are you? – He growled deep in his throat, but in the end he got up. She was taken by surprise by his sudden act, but didn't have the chance to ask.
- I see you have met Inuyasha- he said stiffly, while he offered his hand to allow her to stand up.
- Who? – she said honestly puzzled
- She really has no idea that much was obvious by the look on her face, though it was pretty obvious to him she had in fact met his half brother his putrid scent is still on her hair. Then, he saw realization hit her as she opened her eyes widely, only to fall back to confusion in less than two seconds
- So that's his name, Who is he?- she asked as they started walking through the gardens side by side, the rain ceased by then
- He's the bastard of my father- he said through gritted teeth. She pretended not to notice as she splashed in the poodles left by the rain
- I take it you guys don't get along too well? What did he do?-to that, he answered just as coldly
- He was born.
Totosai sighed- late again… this man's sure easy to miss- this was the second time that month he had had to cancel one of his classes to go chase a ghost. Some people knew there was something going on with the Naraku guy, but no one had ever been able to catch him red-handed, he obviously had a knack for playing hide and seek.
He wasn't really sure what he had planned, but he had a feeling they were all going to discover sooner or later.
Just as he was about to walk out the warehouse he found a rumpled piece of paper by the door. He lifted it to his eyes, putting on his glasses. Inside the paper, there was an instruction and a chewed piece of gum - Apparently, he's someone to do the dirty work for him- he took out a plastic bag and stuck the chewing gum inside. At least now he had a clue.
Classes that night had been officially canceled as Totosai didn't make it in time to the lesson. Rin sighed in relief and took the little things she had brought along with her. Most of it had been borrowed from Sesshoumaru, since she left her dorm without any of her things earlier that afternoon.
As they exited the auditorium, she heard someone speaking loudly about them. Apparently, they whole auditorium had the wrong idea about her and Sesshoumaru. She tried not to pay too much attention to it, but still found it hard to fight the blush in her cheeks when someone asked if they were a couple and everyone seemingly agreed.
That's the very last comment Sesshoumaru heard before he decided to close the door behind them. He lifted a quizzical eyebrow at her blush.
- I'm kind of hot- she said quickly, and immediately regretted saying something so stupid. It was rather obvious she was not hot, and if she could, she would have kicked herself for such blatant lie.
He lifted his eyebrow further and she couldn't help but laugh at her own stupidity. In truth, Rin was impossibly cold. Her lips were beginning to turn blue from her wet clothes and her hair sticked to her face in the most deranged way. If she didn't change her clothes soon she was going to get a cold… that was for sure.
But she was laughing, that's all that mattered. As long he could, he would make sure Rin was happy. The minutes passed and little by little she became a quiet. They were walking side by side, getting alarmed glances from everyone who crossed them guess it isn't every day you see a pair of grown-ups soaking wet from playing under the rain- she giggled some more, until she no longer knew if she was shivering from laugher or the cold.
She started shaking almost uncontrollably, but then she felt something warm around her, the warmth enveloped her like a blanket, and she realized Sesshoumaru was holding her. Still, there was something in his touch, in the way energy seemed to embrace her. There had to be something unnatural about it. Strangely enough, she didn't feel scared. Ironically, this unknown energy source made her feel comforted, protected. It made her feel home.
She soon fell asleep in his arms, and he carried her all the way to her dorm.
By the time she woke up, he had already left. Her new roommate was already gossiping about Sesshoumaru, his eyes, his hair, his voice… she didn't listen though; she had only woken up because she missed his warmth.
That night when she fell asleep there was only one thought in her mind - out of all the people in the world, who would have thought I would fall asleep in his arms?
-.-
A/N: I decided to include rin's song because somehow it fits, however, I did not type all of it; there's a reason though, so bear with me...thank you so much to every one of you guys who have read and reviewed so far, you make my day.
