I... Am... Back!

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Chapter 34: Emotional Needs

Rin pulled gently on the skin of Sesshoumaru's neck, continuing their kiss with impassioned manipulations of lips. Although she would have gladly remained under the influence of his mouth for the rest of the day, he, unfortunately, pulled away from her. She opened her eyes after their intimate moment of reunion to be greeted by his welcoming voice.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru whispered her name, knowing this time… she would respond to him.

Smiling, with tears still staining the sides of her bright red face, she replied, "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"How do you feel?"

"...Weak," she reluctantly admitted, dropping her eyes and questioning, "What happened? Where are we?"

Before Sesshoumaru could answer her, waves of panic shot through her veins as she suddenly remembered the past night.

"Y-your mother! Your mother and Shirokaen are-!"

He brought his fingers to the curve of her lips, "Quiet," Sesshoumaru stated lowly, cutting her short, "…I know."

Her eyes widened, and when he removed his blockade from her mouth she whispered anxiously, "What happened to him? Did you kill him?"

"No...," he replied to her, "...You did."

"Eh?" Rin asked, thinking it was a joke, but knowing her lord far better than to consider that possibility for more than a few seconds.

"H-how?" Her lips quivered.

Sesshoumaru's line of sight lifted to Kaerunin, followed by Rin's.

His gaze fell to her once more, "I will explain later."

Rin dismally nodded in complete confusion before resting her head against him yet again, exasperated.

"You need to rise if you can. We need to prepare for the journey back to the West as soon as possible."

She nodded, deep in thought, "Please... Just another moment. I need to feel you here for just another moment."

Sesshoumaru rested his head against the wall as he waited for her to rouse, patiently.

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Rin emerged from the connecting room, Kaerunin secured in her belt, and just behind her, a tall and graceful Sesshoumaru followed.

"Rin!" The lot of her friends shouted.

Her eyes lit up in joy as she realized that they all must have made it to the human village. And everyone... Cesaria, Imaya, Haru, and Mamoru... had all made it safely.

Cesaria lunged towards Rin, hugging her with unexpected force while Imaya and her brothers stood to wait their turn. Jaken, however, impatiently waddled to give Rin a good hug on her left calf. Inuyasha and the others merely stared happily at the resounding relief around them. They were all at ease.

"You're okay! You're okay!" Cesaria muttered over the shoulder of her friend, to Rin's ultimate squeeze around the demoness' backside.

"Yes... I am," she laughed.

Sesshoumaru observed the display of emotion from his servant to Rin with interest. He hadn't been aware of Cesaria and Rin's relationship past that of care taker and child until that moment.

His eyes shot to the girl in the violet kimono waiting her turn to talk to Rin. Her scent held familiar traces of the North that his father had brought back with him from journeys in the past. She returned his glance with a vast amount of intrigue before averting from the fearsomeness of his amber eyes. After Imaya and her brothers exchanged a few words of relief, gratitude, and references to Kaerunin with his ward, Sesshoumaru was able to accurately deduce the correlation between them all. How interesting...

Once the welcoming crowd had dissipated, Kohaku made his way across the room to her. Upon seeing him, Rin blushed, giving way to a spike in heart-beat. And to this physiological change, Sesshoumaru gazed down at her with suspicion.

"Good morning," Kohaku welcomed her kindly, placing his hand atop her head.

Rin smiled, "Good morning! Long time no see!"

And she hugged her long-time friend, to his reciprocation.

"Hey Sesshoumaru! What's the plan now?" Inuyasha disrespectfully shouted across the room.

The pureblooded demon took his focus from the interaction between Rin and Kohaku to his idiotic half-brother.

"Hey! How dare you talk to Lord Sesshoumaru that way!" Cesaria snapped at the half-demon.

Jaken pulled lightly on her yukata before whispering with annoyance, "Let it go... This is normal."

To that she reluctantly nodded.

"We are returning to the West," Sesshoumaru indulged, his eyes narrowing with renewed anger at the thought, "There is unfinished business to tend to."

"So..." Kagome started, gathering the attention, "...Does that mean we are putting the marriage consideration between Rin and Kohaku on hold?"

The aforementioned pair both lit up with similar facial blushes as the room turned their judging eyes towards them. Rin pulled away anxiously from the embrace.

"W-w-w-what?!" Cesaria asked, shocked, as she turned to look at Rin and human boy. But Rin's eyes desperately shot to her lord.

"You really are behind, aren't you?" Jaken gave Cesaria a sneer, barely avoiding a smack to the head.

Kohaku caught Rin's desire to put those considerations to rest as she shied away from him. He smiled sadly, his concerns having been confirmed in her reaction to Kagome's words.

Sesshoumaru answered, "Correct. As I am sure you understand, we have no time for social affairs. We will return to this negotiation in the near future."

"So you mean to tell me that we came all this way for nothin'!?" Inuyasha took his fighting stance.

Sesshoumaru glowered at his impudence, "Yes. I am afraid you did."

He walked towards the door. Inuyasha seethed, contemplating the use of Tetsuaiga while Kagome tried to calm him down.

"Cesaria. Jaken," Sesshoumaru called.

"Yes, my Lord!" They responded in unison.

"Return home on your own. Rin and I will follow shortly."

"Eh?!" They squealed.

"I want you two there to calm the fears that are most likely already spreading across our nation. But Rin is in no shape to make such a journey as of yet. I expect to not have to explain myself further?" He turned to them with a menacing stare.

His two servants nodded with disappointed eyes, while Inuyasha's party exchanged confused side-swipes.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru stated, turning back towards the door, "Come."

"Yes, my Lord!" She hastily replied as she darted past Kohaku's form without a second glance. Cesaria and Jaken followed close behind.

As they exited the hut, Sango finally spoke, "Well... I guess that's that for awhile. How long do you think until everything will be settled enough for them to resume the marriage deal?"

"Most likely never," Imaya chimed.

The group looked at her incredulously, all but Kagome and Kohaku.

"What?!" Inuyasha growled, "What's that mean?!"

"You're half-demon are you not? How can you not see it?" Imaya replied, annoyed by his existence.

"Wench... What exactly are you implying?" he muttered threats in retaliation.

This time it was Kagome to answer her husband, "Inuyasha... Rin and Sesshoumaru are...," she looked down, "...It's obvious that they are in love with each other."

Inuyasha stared at her, trying hard to figure out what kind of stupid she truly was before lashing out.

"You're telling me that my ass-wipe of a human-hating brother has fallen in love with one?! Are you crazy?!"

Kagome growled at him.

Sango stood up angrily on the defense, "If that's true then why would he raise Kohaku's hopes like that?!"

They all stared at her, reasoning, before Kagome answered again.

"Jaken did mention that the only reason why Rin attended the Solstice last night was because of their queen's disapproval of her residence in the west," Kagome reminded, "Maybe, left with no other choice, Sesshoumaru thought marrying her off would be what's best for Rin. But now, given her disloyalty and ultimate dethronement, no one else can really influence him."

They all began to understand.

"So now he's going back on his word because he's decided he doesn't want to give her up?!" Sango's voice cracked with animosity. She knew all too well Kohaku's feelings towards Rin. And for Sesshoumaru to tear his heart out like that did not sit well with her.

But it was her brother who dismissed her anger.

"Sister. Did you really think that he ever truly wanted to give her up?"

Sango looked at him with concerned eyes.

"He has the right to keep her so long as she is willing," he scanned everyone in the room, "And if you haven't noticed... Rin has always been more than willing."

"But-!" Sango attempted only for Kohaku to finish his thought.

"I appreciate the loyalty but none of you are considering Rin's feelings!" He breathed heavily, "I can't be angry at Lord Sesshoumaru for giving Rin everything that she wants. I can't be that selfish."

Everyone, including Sango, simply gazed at the boy sympathetically. He was making logical and self-less claims even under the pain of the realization. Imaya nodded as she came to understand everything before speaking.

"And given how Kaerunin has been awakened, I really see no other adequate explanation than that those two belong together."

Inuyasha slowly turned his attention to the girl.

"Yo. Ready to explain yet?" He scowled at her, changing the subject.

"Tell you what," she closed her eyes decisively as Haru and Mamoru stepped in front of her once more, "I'll tell you everything if you will escort me and my brothers back to the North."

Inuyasha blinked, looking to his group for unuttered opinions before deciding.

"Alright. Deal."

0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0

Rin studied Sesshoumaru's form as he walked ahead of her into the mountains. He now carried the white linen cloths that he had purchased from the village market, which grew further and further out of sight. They had been walking in silence for awhile and Rin had no idea where he was taking her. The quiet was deafening, but she didn't know what to say. Finally, his voice cut through it like a knife.

"Rin. Are you certain that you do not wish to live a normal life amongst your friends?" He questioned her.

Her eyes widened and she answered quickly, "No! Never!"

He eyed her peripherally before stating, "Kohaku seems to to truly care for you. He would be able to give you everything that you need."

She felt a twinge of pain in her heart as she foresaw the outcome of this conversation and she hissed, "You give me everything I need."

Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to look down at her with aggressive eyes.

"Not emotionally," were the only acidic words that left his lips, but his eyes gave way to greater contemplation.

She simply stared up at him even as his form turned to continue towards their unknown destination. His lasting expression gave Rin the idea that her opinion was starting to not matter... again. Her heart cracked in anguish as she bolted ahead of Sesshoumaru to stand steadfast in his path. He halted and glared down at her, annoyed.

"Don't do this to me again," her voice shook with anger, sadness, and fear.

He blinked, analyzing her tact-less insubordination, the hurt in her voice.

"I can't go through this again. Please, just don't...," she whispered pleadingly.

He closed his eyes, exhaling in frustration, and motioned himself around her to clear his path. And she reluctantly followed once more, surrounded yet again by familiar and expected silence. His lack of response granted her no solace.

They finally reached the edge of a boulder plateau that was surrounded by chiseled stalagmites jutting upwards to the sky. The bases of the rocks were submerged by hot spring water, though the clear visibility of them gave the indication that this particular pool was fairly shallow for the intention of bathing. But it would have to do.

Sesshoumaru stopped at the edge, while Rin waited a few steps behind.

"You will cleanse yourself here," he said to her.

Rin was confused. Dried blood had been removed by Kohaku and the others upon her arrival at the hut, and even though she hadn't witnessed this, looking at herself now, she didn't see the need to bathe with so many other important matters looming over them.

Sesshoumaru turned to her, and with a sickened tone he explained, "I wish for you to rid yourself of Shirokaen's scent."

She finally understood, suddenly remembering her time in the wolf's bedroom. Her torture. Though her wounds were gone, and the explanation of such still unclear to her, she fought to not fall to her knees as that man's sadistic touch scoured her for a second time in recollection.

She nodded with difficulty before laying Kaerunin to the ground and briskly making her way towards the water, beginning to shed her yukata in the process.

As she passed Sesshoumaru, however, he reached out to take her by the arm.

She turned to face him when her body couldn't propel itself any farther, and he took notice of the tears lining her eyes.

They left him with indications of intense emotional scars.

"Let me correct myself...," Sesshoumaru's change of heart caused him to retrace his steps, "I wish to rid you of Shirokaen's scent."

Rin's eyes widened as Sesshoumaru pulled her into him. And as he brushed his lips along her neck, he used his weight to crumple her to the ground gently, aiding in her safety with protective arms. They both landed in the shallow depths of the water. It reached a mere two inches, just below Rin's ears. She looked up at him, stunned by the situation, but now growing used to this view. He lowered his mouth and tongue to trace over her eyelids, cheek bones, lips, and neck, sending reactive pulses throughout her form. Despite the sensations, she grabbed his hair with enough forcefulness to indicate her will for him to cease.

When he reluctantly succumbed, she asked under the influence of her own deductions, "Are you... seriously going to do this to me... only to leave me with Kohaku and the others upon our return from here...?"

He looked up at her as she choked on her final words.

"...Even though you're the only one that I could ever love this way?"

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I've returned! Next chapter will come soon, my loves. And you will be oh so happy with the next chapter!

And the one after that for that matter... ;)

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