Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters. Entertainment reasons only.


In the middle of war

She stood awkwardly in the middle of his… uh…she wasn't sure what to call it, house, was a little too homey and this definitely didn't look like anyone's home, but it was a little too big and luxurious to call it his chambers. What was it he had said? Abode? Huh… she decided she'd just call it the major-cave for the time being (he didn't need to know that)

She cleared her throat as he continued to take different cups and boxes from the cupboards as though she weren't there. He seemed to be looking for something and when she thought it was her chance to offer her help with whatever he needed (if only to get over the awkward silence in the room) he found what he was looking for; a pot of expensive-looking tea in a finely carved metal that looked it had been around for a long time.

He stopped his motions and arched an eyebrow her way. She thought for a minute he looked like he didn't think she would actually come inside. Had he forgotten he had invited her for breakfast? Instead he made a slight nod in the direction of the high chairs by the counter and asked her to take a seat (more like ordered, but she'd forgo that for now) She needed to get her letter back, better to play nice for the time being. She sat in the red chair, feeling it a little too stiff and a little too high, even though, for the rest of the décor, it was quite the daring piece of furniture. She took a moment to look around the room; she was in what she could only assume was the common areas, although, she noted, there was no couch and also, no TV. In fact, the only thing in that room that seemed to indicate they were in a private space and not in a really big office was the loveseat by the fireplace (and of course the fact that there was a fireplace, trunks and all) Other than that, the huge desk and the rather large collection of books in the shelves made everything look rather impersonal. It was ironic really, for it did look exactly like the place where he would live. Cold and rigid. Just like the chair she was currently sitting on.

She turned her attention back to the kitchen as she heard the whistle of the kettle in the stove. He then took out two identical white cups from the cupboard above his head and poured the boiling water over the baskets containing the black tea. She counted the exact 13 seconds he took with each and wondered feebly if he was in fact aware of his over-controlling behavior. Of course he was if she'd learned anything, it was that Sesshoumaru Sato never did things without a purpose.

He extended her one of the cups and took the other for himself, sipping it carefully as he stirred something in the saucepan. Omelet? She could barely smell what he was making, but it did look like something of the sort.

She sipped the tea he put in front of her and early spurted it out as she realized he hadn't put any sugar in it. And it was already twice as strong as she usually put it. He threw a look over his shoulder and she could see the mocking light in his eyes.

"Something wrong?"- He asked calmly, sipping on his own tea as if it were water. She clenched her teeth knowing he had done it on purpose

"No, everything's fine sir"- She forced a smile on her lips and he went back to what he was doing, lightly shaking his head at her stubbornness, but faintly amused as well.

She cleared her throat to get his attention, although she knew he had already been listening and waiting for her to speak

"You know why I came here major"

"Indeed, you wanted to have breakfast with me so we could discuss the developments of your investigation"- She clenched her hands around the cup in front of her and took a deep breath, silently counting to ten.

"No"- She said slowly – "I came here because I want you to give me my letter back"

"And what makes you think I have it"- He said, carefully choosing his words not to lie even though he knew exactly what she meant

"You came to see me yesterday and now my letter is gone, it disappeared right after you left. Isn't that a little convenient?"

"You shouldn't have it"- He said in a tone that indicated he was not going to have this discussion with her. To make his point, he placed a plate in front of her and gave her a set of fork and knife, before he excused himself from the room and disappeared to what she could only guess was his bedroom. She wondered briefly if he intended for her to eat alone. She'd never really seen him eat in all the time she knew him, so she wasn't quite sure what to make of his little Houdini act. Five minutes passed, and just as she reached for the fork to star eating on her own, he appeared again, this time, with a shirt on and smelling like fresh soap. She thanked any god silently that she had actually waited, as he sat across from her and proceeded to eat, all the while staring directly at her. She didn't know what that look meant, but she didn't know whether to feel uncomfortable or slightly flattered that he was paying so much attention to her. When the weight of his stare became too much to bear, she averted her eyes to the food in front of her and resolved not to look up again until she could calm her racing heart. She knew from where he sat, he could hear it. He was the first to break the silence.

"Are you going to tell me what you expected to achieve by coming here and sneaking into my chambers?"

"Are you going to give me back my letter?"

"No"

"Then I'm not going to tell you a thing"- She replied, putting a large piece of the omelet in her mouth to keep herself from speaking more she should.

"Here I thought you were actually old enough to be in the army"- he taunted, pointing out how childish she was being. Any other day, she might have considered that an insult. Today, she didn't care much- She smiled to him in the way she knew often got to his nerves, although she'd never asked why. She had a feeling he wouldn't say.

"And yet I'm old enough that you invite me over for breakfast?"- She rebutted. He didn't say anything, but she felt the threat in the air when he looked at her. She tried unsuccessfully to shake the chills down her spine that she knew where the result of a spike in his aura. He was sending her a message, and it clearly read stand down. Well, she was not exactly known for subordination – something wrong major?

"You should stop playing whatever game you thing you're playing before you get yourself hurt"

"And you should mind your own business"- She smiled again- "sir"

"Enough!"- He barked as he slammed his palm on the counter, sending all the utensils (and part of the food) flying a few inches in the air- "You will not have that blasted letter back and you better be grateful I'm not reporting you to anyone for this little stunt of yours"

"What were you doing earlier?"- She asked, completely ignoring his outburst. If he was remotely thrown off by the sudden change in subject he didn't show it

"I don't think I need to answer to the likes of you"

"Can't we at least pretend for once we're having a civil conversation over breakfast?"- He glared at her as if he thought the idea preposterous, but nevertheless, complied.

"Training"

"What kind of training? You had a very nasty looking wound in yo...-"- his eyebrows rose as she struggled to find a way to finish her sentence without making it obvious she had been staring at him- "err- I mean...uh..Really, so early?"

"If you must know, I train in the woods"- he said, still looking at her with an scrutinizing attention-

"What's in the woods?"- she asked, wondering how many more questions he would be willing to answer before he snapped

"Finish your breakfast before I change my mind about letting you come inside"- not many more, then

"I thought we were past the threats major. Don't you need me to remain as unsuspicious as possible? You're not doing this for me"- she explained slowly- "You're doing it for yourself".

He didn't respond anything and she knew she had him. The chills in her arms intensified until she couldn't hold the fork still. She still ignored him. Ten minutes passed in utter silence, the scrapping of knives over porcelain the only indication that something was actually happening in the thick atmosphere of the room.

She almost winced as he got up from his spot in front of her. The sound of the chair against the wooden floor being the only indication he was mad. He usually didn't make any sound for anything. The man was silent like a ninja, maybe even worse.

She took the last bite from the omelet and drank the rest of the bitter tea before she prepared to take the dishes and clean them; however, as soon as she pushed them away, an envelope was dropped in front of her. The textured paper seemed to mock her.

Beside it, he dropped a folder, coming around the counter so that they were sitting once again face to face.

"Open it"- he commanded. She threw him an uncertain look, but reluctantly admitted she would have to do it anyway of she was to know what to make of the situation. Inside, there was a dossier full of personal information on one man; a blurry photograph and a name were the only things she was currently contemplating. Musashi Onigumo, why does that name sound..? It struck her like a thunderclap and she remembered the conversation they'd had a little over a month ago about the attack on the showers and how it was somehow connected with the accident that had put the major in the hospital wing.

"Why are you showing me this?" – She asked confused at the sudden change of subject. He might have been trying to distract her, but then again, why give her back her letter?

"Page three"- He answered instead. She furrowed her brows, but nevertheless, did as he instructed, gently passing the pages until she came to the one with a little number three on the right upper corner of the paper.

There was a photocopy of the man's ID and some other pieces of information about his familial bonds, such as, for example, a birth certificate of one Aito Kagura (who she knew was somehow connected to the rebels, although she didn't know the details of that) and a few other documents that didn't seem to be related in any form.

"I don't understand".

"Kagura has been put in custody of the army for the last three months and in all that time, she has been trying to get away from the imprisonment through different methods. A month ago, however, she decided to offer information on the rebels to help further the ongoing investigations".

"A month ago? You mean after the incident on the showers"

"Indeed".

"So she just had a change of heart? Just like that?"

"I can be very persuasive"- He replied cryptically. She refused to let his words affect her and instead, blamed the sudden tightening in her chest to a sense of foreboding of what he planned to do to her. It was most definitely not jealousy over the prospect of what exactly he meant by persuasion. She cleared her throat

"Well, what did she tell you?"

"Kagura Aito is not really her real name. It is rather Kagura Musashi. Or should be, had Onigumo actually acknowledged her as his child".

"Wait, so…Kagura is Onigumo's child?"- He only nodded- "And she changed her name to avoid any links to the rebels"- She whispered, more to herself than to him- "But then, why would she betray her father? Aren't you worried this is another one of her lies?"

"The rebels don't take well to failure, Rin"- Right, they'd tried to kill her. The rebels and by extension her father, wanted her dead. She almost felt sorry for her, Rin's own father had never done anything other than love her.

"But you said there was another traitor? Surely she must know who that is"

"She doesn't"

"And you believed her?"- He sent her a pointed look and she remembered what he had said about not lying to him- "ok, point taken. Still, what does this have to do with me?"

"Your letter Rin, it wasn't written by your father, but rather by that nasty individual Onigumo"

"What? How would you know that?"

"It smells of a very particular kind of miasma he uses against his enemies. It is so toxic no human would be able to survive it, if exposed to it for more than two minutes"- Her mind flew back to the black smoke she had inhaled back in the showers that day. She swallowed audibly- "In order to use it, he has made himself immune to it. So he always carries it on him at all times. My guess is he doesn't know of your association with me, which is the reason you can't tell anyone about it"

"And how, exactly did this person find a way to disguise himself as my father to send me letters? Why me, at any rate? I'm nothing special and neither is my father"- She said, rolling her eyes skeptically. None of this was making any sense. His eyes suddenly stopped on her (well, more intensely than before)

"Have you talked to you father about the people in the camp Rin?"- The underlying have you talked about me didn't go missing to her

"I've…"- she averted her gaze from him, feeling slightly embarrassed that she had to tell him about her letters- "not about you, sir"- She finished quietly. She didn't know why, but talking to her father about the major had always seemed rather…personal. She'd considered it a few times, but always felt uncomfortable doing so- "only about the sergeant and a few squad mates"- then she elaborated- "my father knows Kohaku from before"

"I noticed"- he replied and his lip twisted a little at the corner at that statement. She blushed in embarrassment as she remembered her father's insistence on her relationship with Kohaku. Then, his features tensed as realization seemed to drawn on him- "Uchiha and Kouga"

"What?"

"Kouga has been in missions against the rebels before. He saw Onigumo in one of those missions".

"So, you think they're trying to get to Kou- err…- the sergeant through me? Why? Just because he's seen the guys face?"

"Kouga took something that belonged to Onigumo on that mission"- He was now looking out into space, deep in thought.

"What about Kohaku?"- At his blank stare she elaborated- "you mentioned Uchiha before?"

"Rather, his sister, Sango Uchiha"- but he didn't elaborate further than that. She was having a little bit of an information overload and it was really too early in the morning for that. She decided now would be a good time as any to let him know of the thing she had found.

"Well, I did some digging on the authorization you gave me the other day and it turns out it was delivered to one of the officers early that day. Apparently it was a woman, pale features and she turned it in to captain Byakuya". I didn't remember why that sounded familiar but I overheard some soldiers talking about a girl near the borders with a similar description on the night before the attacks. Apparently, she's somewhat of a pale beauty- He nodded and seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Kanna"- He whispered

"Who?"- she didn't know why that name sounded familiar

"She's Onigumo's other daughter. She's never been actively part of the rebels, but it is a known fact he sometimes uses her as a distraction".

"Huh… well, then, it's pretty safe to assume she's the one who forged your signature. How do you think she got a hold of it though?"

He didn't respond. But he did have a very good idea of how she'd managed to get her hands on his signature and he was already dreading the answer. Jakken.


He'd kicked her out of his chambers a little before 6, which barely gave her time to return the way she'd come under the rising sun. On the way to the dorm, she found Kohaku and another two soldiers; the former stepped away from the group to catch up to her. He didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary even though she was stiff as an arrow as he grabbed her by the elbow so they could talk.

His whisper was almost secretive and she held her breath preparing for what he was going to say. Had he found out about the major? Had he seen her coming from the west wing?

But he was wiping his hands on his pants, as though nervous about something.

"Hey"- He said, trying to sound casual, even though she could see he was quite uncomfortable.

"What's up?"- She answered bluntly, faintly interested, but a little bit distracted as the time to get to the training fields got closer and closer.

"Umm...fine. I'm… Rin y-you… I mean"- He cleared his throat loudly, bringing her attention back to him was he blushing now? –"I- I have something to ask you"- He finished confidently, yet not nearly as loud as he'd started.

"Sure, ask away"-

"Are you..?- He seemed to strangle in his own voice- I mean... err... is there anyone..?"- She raised her eyebrows encouraging him to go on, even though she didn't say a thing. She knew he would lose his resolve if she did that. The next phrase came in such low whisper if she hadn't been two feet in front of him she would have missed it – "Are you seeing anyone?"- Huh? She suddenly got unreasonably nervous. He couldn't know, could he? Her eyes caught the uncontrolled shaking of her left hand and she stuck it in her pants pocket in an attempt to appear nonchalant.

"W-what do you mean?"- She averted her gaze to the side, trying to look uninterested. Her nerves were wrecking havoc on the omelet she'd had for breakfast (and it was a rather good omelet)

"I mean, are you... err-spoken for?"- She furrowed her eyebrows at that, silently breathing a sigh of relief. He didn't know about the major

"Um, not that I know of, no"- why would he..?-"why?"

"… well, there's going to be a dinner party fo-"

"Rin! Rin! Rin!"- She turned her attention to the voice calling her from 20 meters away. As he came closer, she noticed Shippo was wearing his bright orange hair loose rather than the usual high ponytail he used during training hours. He seemed to have come running all the way from his dorm. He stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of Kohaku and finished with an awkward- "ugh...hi".

Kohaku remained silent, but she could see the moment something in him changed and knew instantly he was not going to finish what he had been about to ask her

"Is everything ok Shippo?"- she asked, a little intrigued over the reason he had been calling her.

"I, uh… Would you"- he swallowed before he sent a furtive look to the awkwardly quiet Kohaku- "err…like to go have breakfast?"- he asked, although she had the distinct impression that was not what he had planned to ask her at first- "they're giving blueberry muffins this morning"- he clarified, suddenly interested in his very untied shoelaces

"I…"- She cursed herself for not being able to avoid this- "I'm actually not hungry"- she finished, though she didn't sound too convincing. Kohaku's head snapped up at that and she knew what he was going to say before he said it

"What are you talking about? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day"- He reminded her, as if he recited the phrase from memory- "you told me that yourself"- Uh… right, that was why

"And you love blueberry muffins"- Shippo supplied. Just like that, they both united against her and she had no choice but to join them for breakfast.

By the time she finished her buttered toast, cheese, orange juice and coffee (Really? Is that all you're going to have?) she felt like she couldn't breathe. If she wasn't completely against wasting food, she would have vomited right there and then. God, she couldn't even move.

Training after that had been, for lack of a better word, hell.


Sesshoumaru-sama? - He didn't even acknowledge Jakken when he entered the office; instead he went straight to the archives where he knew he would find her folder.

Personal information on new recruits was usually kept secret for the security of those involved. At any rate, the army only needed willing men. But it wasn't precisely a man he was interested in at the moment. And something had caught his attention about this particular subject. His hand stopped abruptly as it came across the folder labeled as Suzuki Rin.

"Lock the door"- He ordered, not even lifting his gaze to see if Jakken would follow through with his order. For all of his faults, Jakken knew better than to disobey him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama? What are you looking for?"- He should also know better than to question him. He didn't have time to explain. And he was sure he wouldn't, even if he had the time. He continued to ignore him.

Then he caught a smell of something aching to ozone coming from one of the last pages in the folder. He might have missed it, had he not smelled it before. Kagura. It had been she who gave him Rin's diary as prove of her testimony. And this only confirmed that she had also been the one to mislead the rebels into attacking the young private. She needed a new face, someone they could easily mistake for the wind sorceress. She had known they wouldn't come close enough to check. She'd also known once they found out, Rin would prove to be enough of a distraction to lead them away from her.

He snapped the folder shut and opened the next one containing a series of reports on the last month.

"Jakken, from now on, every time you receive a letter for Suzuki Rin, I want you to burn it"- he instructed, while turning the pages to the file as quickly as his demon eyes allowed him to read and memorize the contents of it- "the ones she sends, you will bring them directly to me"- he added

Jakken's eyes opened as sources when he heard the words leaving the major's mouth. Could it be? Could the major be harassing the girl into leaving the army? Why would he do that? He didn't particularly care for the stupid human, mind you, but in all the years he could pride himself in knowing the major as he did (although he suspected no one really knew him) he had never witnessed open cruelty from him to anyone. Well… not that kind of cruelty, the major was usually much more open about his hate for people, and even then, that resumed to his brother (whom he financially maintained without the ungrateful brat's knowledge) and Onigumo (but that was understandable, given the fact that the man had tried to wipe him from existence). By comparison, this seemed rather juvenile of him. Jakken didn't know what to think of his new order, but if he had learned anything at all these years, was that the major always had a reason for the way he acted, and his instincts guided him better than any compass, He was seldom wrong, if at all.

No matter how misguided his reasoning seemed, the major knew what he was doing. If only he could get him to tell his loyal servant why.


She had two short hours to put herself together before she went to meet the major for their daily sessions, and for the first time, she thought, she was really too tired for this.

He wouldn't take any excuses though, she was not dumb enough to think she would get away with it, so she reluctantly grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair and made the long silent walk to the west wing.


-"You're late"- he announced as soon as she pushed the door open

- "I'm not"- she replied tiredly

- "three hours late, in fact"

- "don't be like that, major, I've been coming at 9 for a month now, I thought we'd agreed this was better"

- "we didn't agree on anything, you've just been doing as you please for a month and I've let it slip"

- "well if it means so much to you, I'll come at six tomorrow. And you don't have to spare me anymore, I don't need to own you anything, so go ahead, threat me like you would any other male soldier".

He seemed intrigued at that, and before she could even blink, he was standing In front of her and sending her on her back.

"You could have given me a chance to get in and place my stuff!"- she screamed in exasperation- "He didn't seem to notice"

"I gave you a chance, it expired three hours ago"- why was he being such a grumpy pant? She stood up from the floor and went to put her bag on the corner

"Oh, really? Well I'm sorry I'm"- He knocked it out of her hands with a swift hit of his bokken- What the hell, major?!

He didn't respond, but just as soon proceeded to attack her again. She bent at the stomach to avoid a hit directly to her abdomen and instead the wood stuck between two of the buttons of her jacket. It was enough to make her loose her balance. She was mad now. He wanted to play dirty? She would give him dirty

Before he could make another move, she took off her jacket and bent down to tie her shoelaces twice. He gave her a total of 30 seconds to do so before he attacked her again. She barely had time to roll out of the way and reach for her own weapon before his collided loudly with the wooden floors. The impact reverberated for around the room for a whole minute, could have been more, but she didn't have time to linger on that though, as he was coming at her again with seemingly more force. What was with him today? He was completely out of it.

She decided she had enough playing on the defensive stance, It was time to attack now, so she did just that; he of course, dodged her. She didn't stop though, soon she was aiming hits in all possible directions, tired of always being in the run from him; for once, she wanted him to back down. Her next hit, he did not dodge. Instead, his bokken connected with her own so forcefully her whole body felt the vibration of the hit. A month ago, she would have let go of her weapon, as it was, she had been expecting it. What she didn't expect was the next hit that fallowed, so after 15 full minutes of endurance, he was kicking her ass once again. She was beyond form now. This was war and she wouldn't go down without a fight. She acted quickly, rashly, without thinking. She knew it was the only way to catch him by surprise.

She pulled on his left sleeve.

Time seemed to stop the moment he registered what she had done. The pull didn't have nearly half the strength needed to put him down, but he had been distracted and he hadn't been expecting it. For the whole five seconds that followed, they were both falling; she, with a satisfied smirk in her face and he, with barely contained shock. They were the longest five seconds she'd ever lived, she wondered how long his shock would last before turning into rage, he didn't like to lose, that much she'd learned. They hit the floor.

Needless to say, that had been her last strike of luck for the night. Before she could attempt something similar, he too, took off his jacket and threw it somewhere near her own. She swallowed around her suddenly dry throat at the slow smirk that settled over his lips after that.

Somewhere along the night, her hair became unbound and she never had the time to put it back in a bun. They fought restlessly.

Sometime along the night, the force of one well-aimed attack broke her weapon in half. He threw his own bokken away then, but just as she thought that would be the end of the training, he took a fighting stance and started to guide her through the basics of hand to hand combat. She pretended not to be too affected by this.

At the end of the session she was panting, and sweating so much thought she wouldn't catch her breath for the rest of her life. She wasn't sure if it was from training of the heavy tension in the room. The clock in her wrist read 1:13, that was their longest session yet, but it had been over way too soon.

She almost dropped the boot she had been holding (she'd lost it somewhere in the night) when she lifted her gaze and he was taking off his undershirt. She quickly averted her eyes from his ridiculously sculpted body and wondered if it was even possible for someone that hot to exist. She must have been really tired to be thinking of him that way.

When she turned her attention back to him, he was taking his jacket from the ground, although she could see he had no intention of putting it on (then again, he was all sweaty and…yeah)

His low baritone filled the room then

-"There's going to be a dinner party for Christmas in the north area of camp a weeks from now"- She stopped what she was doing, not completely understanding where he was going with that. When he didn't say anything else, she asked

- "why are you telling me this?" She realized this is what Kohaku (and she suspected Shippo as well) had wanted to tell her that morning.

- "I need you to take the opportunity to investigate an anomaly in the forest near the south of the camp"- She almost sighed in frustration. What had she been expecting, really?

- "well, has it ever occurred to you I might already have plans to go to this dinner party sir?"- now it was him who stopped what he was doing. He down the bottle of water he'd been about to drink and his jaw set in the painfully tight line she'd come to recognize as a sign he was trying to control his temper.

- "do you, now? And who, may I ask is taking you?"- his voice was deadly quiet, and she resisted the urge to flinch at the pure venom in his words. She wouldn't even pretend to understand what that tone meant.

- "w-well… nobody yet, but...-"- He relaxed visibly at that

- "It is not up for discussion then, I will collect you at 2200"- he announced, already heading towards the door. Then, as an afterthought he added- "wear something casual".

She almost laughed at the way he made it sound like a date. If only…


-.-

A/N: A little late, but still, close enough for christmas, hope you guys are having a really nice holiday :) and I hope this chapter answered some of your questions. It's a little slow, because I've already writen a following scene that I think needs some explaining in order for it to make sense. So much drama...

Maybe something else will happen on new year's eve... ;)