Disclaimer: I do not own the show InuYasha or any of the characters…
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Chapter 10: Worries and Nightmares
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"Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"You should be in bed." The demon didn't look up from the papers before him.
"I can't sleep." She replied childishly in a small voice. Sesshoumaru looked up at her, as if to say, 'what am I supposed to do?' She played with her hair that was tied in a ponytail, standing in in front of the demon Lord's desk. She turned around, about to leave.
"What's that?" She turned round and raised an eyebrow. "On the back of your neck." Rin immediately brought up her hand to the back of her neck, hiding the mark that Haru had left a couple days ago.
'It's still there! I thought it would have faded by now! Baka! Demon bite marks last longer…even if they aren't markings.' She acted ignorant and shrugged, "Maybe a bug bite, or just…" She shrugged, rubbing her neck. It was silent for a time.
"I'm leaving for a while tomorrow. If you stay up too late, you wake up late and I'll be gone by then." He looked out the window at the moon, deciding it was too late for him to still be up as well.
Rin frowned at his point. "A servant can wake me up so I can go with you." she said brightly.
"You're not coming." He walked past her into the hall, heading for the stairs. Rin followed, thinking intently.
"I'd like to go, though." she said after a while, keeping up with his pace.
"You can't; it may be dangerous." With that, he stepped into his room and shut the door. Rin whined slightly and trudged to her own room, feeling tired now.
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Rin turned over in bed, looking at the door. What was she supposed to remember? She closed her eyes and sighed. Two seconds passed and she sat up suddenly, shouting.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" She jumped out of bed and ran, still in her night robes, to the castle entrance. A group of the lesser demon servants started to disperse from the doorway, glancing at Rin as they went. She burst from the castle into the bright morning, panting. The silver haired demon was ready to leave, back to Rin.
"Sesshoumaru…sama." She said slowly, looking at him. He turned and faced her, slightly amused.
"I'll return around sunset." He said confidently. Rin straightened her posture and smiled. She didn't speak in return, but nodded. "I Promise." Sesshoumaru turned at her silent words and set off on his way. Rin's expression turned more serious. She smiled again, then turned into the castle.
o-o-o-o-o
"You!" A servant stopped, looking confused. Rin was pointing at him, then beckoned for him to come over. The lesser demon walked over, bowing when he reached Rin.
"What's your name?"
"Otatu" He replied simply, looking puzzled. The man was about 20, bright blue-eyed, and had short brown hair gathered in a ponytail.
"Otatu, can you tell me when you know Sesshoumaru-sama is getting close?" She was excited; it was nearly sunset and Sesshoumaru was to return any time now.
"Hai, Rin-san." All the servants knew Rin's name; she always followed Sesshoumaru around and heard him call her name.
"Arigato gozaimasu, I'll be around." Rin turned around and wandered off, humming lightly.
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"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshou..Sesshou…Sessh.ou. Tears fell on the marble white face of the demon. The bloodied corpses of Rin's parents lay just beyond. "Don't leave me!" She held his head, bent over his lifeless body.
Covers twisted.
All around there was nothing but grey. Grey floor, grey sky, grey, grey, grey! Rin looked around in panic as the dull walls vibrated, parting to allow shadowed figures through. Each had ghostly skin tones and sunken eyes. They all glided towards her, humming eerily.
Pillow fell.
"Come, Rin, you will be safe with us." one whispered thickly. "You won't hurt on the inside anymore." Rin was sucked down into darkness, along with the zombies surrounding her. Flames shot up all around them and the living corpses moved in, around Sesshoumaru. Rin's mouth opened and no sound came out.
A scream. A rush of people.
She was in hell. The body of Sesshoumaru was covered by black liquid and faded away. Rin was thrown onto her back and flailed. There were worried voices calling out to her. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Come back, please!" Her whole mind went blank.
"RIN-SAN!" She jumped, now awake. Her eyes fluttered open, scared and glossy. "are you alright?" Otatu stood among other servants, all looking at Rin. She nodded her head shakily, but looked away when she remembered something. Sesshoumaru hadn't returned yet, like he promised. She curled up under the covers and the servants left. Otatu whispered a forgiving as he shut the door. She fell back asleep about half an hour later, whimpering in her slumber once more.
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"Rin-san?" Otatu called quietly. "Are you alright?" Rin looked up at him with dull eyes and nodded. "Then… why are you pouring tea into your rice?" She looked down at her tea soaked rice and then to the empty tea cup beside it. She hurriedly set down the teapot and pushed the bowl aside.
"How long has it been?"
"Hnn? Oh, three days."
"Right…" A bird twittered off somewhere in the garden and Otatu stood. He strode to the kitchen and returned a while later with a vase-like pitcher. He set it in front of Rin and sat once more. "What's this?" She looked up at him curiously and eyed the liquid filled container.
"Just have a bit, it'll help you ease up, but too much will make you…well, just only a couple drinks, alright?" He poured a bit in a cup and Rin sniffed it inquisitively. She took the drink and downed it, scowling afterward.
"It's sake." She looked up at him, feeling slightly lightheaded and giggly. He nodded slowly and tilted his head to the side. "I had a sip of it once." She explained and he nodded again. Rin held out the cup, blushing slightly. Otatu slid the pitcher towards her and stood, bowing. He left to meet a beckoning servant and disappeared into another room.
o-o-o-o-o
Otatu ran through the kitchen, alerting the last of the servants. They all murmured excitedly as he passed and spread out through the house, some heading towards the entrance.
"Rin-san!" He called, just beyond the dining room doors. "Rin-san, he's here! He's returned!" He shouted, throwing open the doors. He instantly saw Rin on her feet and rushing towards the front of the castle. He shook his head amusedly and walked to the table. Lifting the pitcher, he noticed it was reasonably lighter. His eyes widened as he thought of what would happen to her when she met with their Lord. "Rin-san!" he hissed to himself, taking off.
The young woman stumbled out of the castle and looked up at the demon dressed in white with the fur on his shoulder. She smiled and tottered over, but then frowned soon after. "Three days!" she greeted him, bumping into his armored chest. "Three DAYS!" She said, louder.
"Things happened. I had to stay out longe-" He started to explain.
"No!" Rin shouted childishly. "ThruhDuhs!" She repeated, her words slurred. Sesshoumaru looked down at her confusedly, holding onto her shoulders. "three days you were gone!"
"Rin, what's wrong with you?" He said in his smooth tone.
"I thought something bad happened to you!" she whined, lowering her head.
"Don't be silly, I can easily protect myself." Rin had tears streaming down her cheeks and was hiccupping. Sesshoumaru smelled the scent of sake on her breath and sighed, "calm down, you're not thinking reasonably."
"Reasonably!" she shouted, her voice breaking. "You PROMISED you would be back by sundown, and when you didn't come back, I thought you died!" Images of the dead Sesshoumaru in her dreams flashed into her head..
He curled an arm around her waist and hoisted her onto his shoulder, ignoring her pleas. She beat her hands on his back, flailing her legs about. They paraded up to Rin's room this way, though Rin calmed halfway up the stairs. Her elbow rested against his armour, hand supporting her chin. She still hiccupped occasionally.
On the way up, most of the servants gasped at the addition to Sesshoumaru. The younger servant girls ran off to gossip to their friends, giggling as he passed. Rin had grabbed hold of his boa and lifted it from his shoulder. She wrapped it around her neck and wiggled, giggling. Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly and casually opened the door to her room.
Laying her down on her own bed, he tried to pull away his boa but she held fast. After a few tugs, he let her cling to it and gave up. She turned over with the fluffy thing and hid her face in it, falling asleep. He watched her sleep peacefully like a dead person, and smiled on the inside.
He left her room to be greeted by Otatu, looking. "I'm sorry, my Lord. I gave her sake, but I didn't mean for her to have that much." He explained the rest and continued, "but…she needed to relax…After you didn't return at sunset, and didn't show the next morning, she didn't smile. She was distracted and gloomy. She's been having nightmares, milord. About you." He said in a slow voice. Someone needed to tell Sesshoumaru about Rin's dark dreams and it was Otatu.
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened unnoticeably and he looked back at Rin's room. 'Nightmares?'
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