Sorry for the slowness guys... anxiety doesn't sit well with me and my creativity...

Enjoy!

Rin hadn't, in her handful of dates, been as nervous for a first date as she was right now. Her hands brushed over an imaginary crease in her dress, looking for something for something to do to ease her anxiety.

Her dress was a simple navy blue covered in lace. Her arms were covered in the lace, the dress reaching just above her thighs, Rin hoping it wasn't too revealing to be seen with a man as impressive and as regal as Sesshomaru. A fresh wave of nervousness washed over her as she looked over herself in the mirror once more.

It wasn't as though she thought herself ugly by any stretch of the imagination, but he was almost otherworldly. Next to him, she felt shabby, even at her best. Her chest expanded deeply as she sucked in a calming breath, her eyes looking towards the framed photo she had of InuYasha and Kagome, the two of them smiling happily out at her on their wedding day. A small smile twitched at her lips.

Since she had known Kagome, the other had been trying desperately to get her and Sesshomaru together; this was of course thwarted with either Sesshomaru's relationship with Kagura or his schedule.

"Guess you were right all along," Rin whispered, "sorry it's so late Kagome…"

There were so many regrets she had, so many things she wish she told her friend, so many more memories they were supposed to make, together.

"Wish me luck," the young woman smiled before she reached for her clutch, a final deep breath taken before she moved to leave her room.

Kagome's younger brother was the one to watch Aimi for the night, both Sesshomaru and Rin wishing to keep their relationship a secret until they knew for sure what it was they were working towards.

A smile broke out on her face as she turned to her Goddaughter's room, her hands reaching for the little girl who was raising her arms, begging to be taken out of her cradle.

"Hey there," Rin murmured as she pulled the child to her chest, "getting kinda heavy, huh Aimi?"

The baby cooed in response, her fingers touching and testing the feeling of the lace that surrounded Rin's dress, her amber eyes interested while her elder's held a touch of worry. Rin's greatest fear was that, should this not work out, Aimi would be the one who suffered most, her having lost not only her parents, but her godmother and uncle too.

"You look lovely."

Rin turned around, surprised at the sudden voice, her eyes looking over the demon who stood leaning against the doorframe, his body clad in a suit as perfectly fitted to him as the smirk on his face was.

"You need to stop doing that," the young woman flushed lightly as she turned back to the baby in her arms, "you're going to wind up scaring Aimi."

"She's got demon in her," Sesshomaru commented, "she'll know I'm coming."

"Lucky her," Rin mumbled, the demon slowly approaching the two of them.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly, his hands reaching to rub the tops of her arms.

"Yeah," the young woman nodded, turning to look up at him, "just waiting for Sota…"

"Nervous?" the demon asked teasingly.

"What of it?" Rin defended, "there's… a lot riding on this…"

Her whispered confession was not lost on his sensitive ears, his eyes looking over her soft expression. His response was silenced by the doorbell ringing, both godparents looking towards the front hall.

"Hello Sota," the young woman answered, smiling as the door opened to Aimi's younger uncle.

"Hey Rin," the teen smiled and nodded to her as he stepped inside, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Thank you for doing this," Rin murmured as she handed the baby to the young man, "will you be alright?"

"Oh yeah," Sota nodded, his happy brown eyes turning to the baby in his arms, "I haven't forgotten how to take care of a baby, so don't worry, she's in good hands!"

"Alright, well, call us if you need us," the young woman told him, her arms slipping into the coat the demon offered to her, "and we'll be back in a few… around… ten I think."

"Yeah, don't worry," the boy repeated, "enjoy your night."

"Thank you," Sesshomaru nodded, his hand to Rin's back as he guided her out of the house, "enjoy yours."

"Might be a little more difficult," Sota grinned, "but thanks!"

Rin smiled and gave her goddaughter one last kiss before they slipped out the door into the mild March night, the young woman now having only one way to go, her slightly thankful for that.

"Last chance," the demon teased, seemingly reading her mind, "are you sure-"

"If you think I'm going to change my mind one of the times you ask me that, you can forget it," Rin grinned cheekily, "I made a promise, and I always honour them."

"I believe that that is one thing about you I won't forget," Sesshomaru murmured, the car door opened for the young woman, both wondering what the night held.

The car ride was a little more silent than Rin had anticipated, her anxiety getting the better of her despite her mental chastisements of it.

"You're awfully quiet."

The young woman sighed as she replaced her wine glass on the table, her tongue flicking over her lips.

"It's not like I'm doing this on purpose," she admitted, "just-"

"Nervous?" Sesshomaru finished, his head tilted as his amber eyes studied her with interest.

"I shouldn't be," Rin fidgeted slightly, "I mean… I've lived with you in the same house for about half a year now and-and…"

"And despite all that time, I feel like we don't know each other as well as we should," the demon murmured, the young woman feeling a little perturbed that he had the uncanny ability to finish her thoughts.

"More or less," she conceded softly, "but… we've just never had much of a reason too, I guess…"

"You mean I didn't see a reason too," Sesshomaru reiterated, "not that I blame you for thinking that."

"I don't," Rin shook her head, a reassuring smile on her lips, one mirrored on the demon's.

"Finally," he murmured.

"Finally what?" the young woman asked, confusion on her face.

"Finally you smiled for me," Sesshomaru told her, "you've been too nervous and I thought you might not smile for tonight."

Rin seemed stunned for a moment before she let a soft giggle escape her lips, the tension seemed eased off her shoulders as she relaxed in the demon's presence.

"You're also not as talkative as when we first met," the demon commented.

"Well you seemed annoyed by that," Rin shrugged, "that… and there was something for me to be really happy about…" her eyes softened as she reminisced, "guess I changed a lot in the last half a year."

"A lot changed around you," Sesshomaru murmured, "it's not surprising; I think we all did."

"You included," the young woman grinned, "you used to be really grumpy."

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'bastard'," the demon commented, "and I'd be inclined to agree."

"Aimi seems to like you a lot more now," Rin pointed out, "and I think you too."

"Spending more time with her seems to have that effect," Sesshomaru murmured, his eyes flickering to his glass of wine.

"I take it you're thinking that if InuYasha and Kagome were still around, you wouldn't be," the young woman smiled sadly, Sesshomaru looking up to nod at her.

"It's difficult not to think about it," the demon admitted, "I know that if Kagome and InuYasha were still here I wouldn't have the relationship with Aimi… or you…"

Rin blushed lightly at his praise, her throat tightening as she found her words.

"The… the thing I had learned the first time… I suffered like this… is to stop thinking about what if, and to start thinking… what now?"

"First time?" Sesshomaru asked, "you mean… with your parents?"

The young woman nodded, knowing the two had never actually talked about their pasts with each other.

"Yeah," she nodded, "I was just a child then, I didn't understand much."

"I'm sorry you had to go through it twice," the demon whispered quietly.

"I'm just sorry that I had to see the ones I care about go through it," Rin confessed, her head shaking as she tried not to cry.

"Sorry to bring that up," Sesshomaru murmured, his hand reaching to gently touch the back of her hand, the young woman feeling warmth from his touch.

"It's fine," she admitted, "talking about it actually helps… a little."

Both were silent as their appetizers arrived, Rin thanking their waiter before she began spearing her salad.

"I am sorry though," Rin started softly, "that you've had to deal with some of my… moments…"

"I had them too," Sesshomaru admitted, "but… I figured you would talk to me if you needed too."

"I take it you're referring to the first few months where I cried more than Aimi did at night," the young woman told him weakly, the demon watching her as he remembered nights when she woke up crying and sniffling.

"As I said, I figured you'd want to come talk to me if you wanted," the demon reiterated.

"Sometimes… I just need a little push," Rin murmured.

"I was afraid that if I did that, you might fall over," Sesshomaru told her with a soft smile.

"I might have," the young woman shrugged, "but not anymore."

The demon thought she was more beautiful when she smiled truthfully, her straightened black hair slipping over her exposed collarbone.

"Rin," Sesshomaru started, attention now called back to him, "tell me; if you were in a relationship with someone, would you have asked me to move in with you?"

At this the young woman seemed in thought, her eyes shifting as she debated his question.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully, "maybe not… but I still would have wanted you to be a part of her life as your brother wanted."

"Then… may I ask why-"

"I wasn't in a relationship?" Rin finished, finding herself enjoying the look Sesshomaru gave her as he nodded. "I guess… I was too busy working on getting tenure and I just… didn't have someone I was all that interested in anyway…"

"And now?" Sesshomaru pressed, his lips pulling into a small smile as hers did, her cheeks flushing lightly.

"And now…. I don't know," she shrugged, "but… I'm willing to figure it out…"

Her smile was returned, his gentle response making butterflies flutter in her stomach. Somehow, the rest of their night went well, their conversations changing from things less trivial than Aimi and the ones they lost. Rin found her chattiness returns as she felt like they hadn't lost Kagome or InuYasha, that she wasn't an unexpected mother.

It inevitably came to an end when the demon drove them back to the bungalow, the two of them now silenced as they stepped up to the front door.

"Thank you for tonight," Rin murmured softly as they paused at the door, "I had a really wonderful time."

"You sound surprised," Sesshomaru smiled, "but I did too."

Rin smiled warmly up at him, watching as his face lowered to hers, his fingers brushing over her cheek.

"Sesshomaru."

The young woman gently placed her hand on his chest, her lungs sucking in a deep breath.

"Don't… don't think I don't want too," she admitted quietly, "but… I-I want to take this… slow."

She seemed a little uncertain of herself, almost worried that the demon would flat out reject her if she turned him down.

"Rin."

His voice drew her eyes back up to him, his tone as soft as his eyes were.

"I understand," he murmured, his lips returning to ghost over hers, "but I don't think a kiss, when we've done it before, is rushing it."

At this Rin smiled, her head titled upwards as his lips pressed against hers, their eyes fluttering shut at the contact. She felt excitement run through her at their contact, her heart beating just a little louder and faster at his touch.

They parted a little too quickly for their liking, Rin's cheeks a deep shade of red as she looked up to the demon.

"If you blush like that every time I kiss you I might do it more often," Sesshomaru whispered in her ear, the young woman reaching to smack his arms before she turned to go inside the house, knowing he had seen her unconscious smile.

"Hey Sota," Rin called softly, the young man on the couch looking up at the two adults coming inside, "how was your night?"

"Oh, hey Rin!" the young man called as he rounded the corner, a fussy baby in his arms, "y-you're home early!"

"No, we're right on time," the young woman smiled, her hands extended for the baby, "but she's not asleep on time."

"I tried! I swear!" Sota protested while Rin laughed.

"It's okay," she murmured as she extended her arms out, "give her here, she's probably just having a hard time."

"I'm sorry," the young man mumbled as he passed off the baby to her.

"Don't worry about it," Sesshomaru spoke up, "she's just particular like that."

"Yeah… well-"

"Thank you for everything you've done tonight," Rin smiled, the fidgeting baby now in her arms, the amber eyes looking her over, "other than bedtime, was she a good girl?"

"She was great!" Sota grinned, "how… how was your night?"

"I had a great time," the young woman admitted, a quick smile given to Sesshomaru, "but I think it's someone's bed time before they get cranky."

"NO!"

Aimi's announcement was made with her arms flung over her head, Rin ignoring it as she bade Sota a good night and made her way to Aimi's room.

"You were supposed to be asleep a while ago," Rin chastised silently, "now you're going to be all mad tomorrow."

"No…"

Rin looked over her goddaughter; the little girl, no matter how stubborn she seemed, looked exhausted.

"You wanted to make sure we came home, huh?" the young woman whispered as she gently rocked the baby in her arms, "guess you remember more than we give you credit for."

"She probably always will."

The demon's feet were at least audible to Rin as he moved to stand beside her, his eyes looking over his sleepy niece.

"One day she'll know that we'll always come back," Rin whispered softly, her lips touching the baby's forehead.

"Until then, we'll just have to reassure her," the demon murmured, his body standing by Rin's as the infant, comforted by their presence, quickly fell asleep.

So? Lemme know what you think!