Hiyo. I hope everyone is doing okay. The world is on fire right now and we are all stuck indoors. I told you before that I still planned to finish this. I work a lot though and I have to find the time to work on it. I don't think there is much left to this though so I expect it will be coming to an end soon.
Enjoy and sorry for the delay :)
Kohaku let Rin pull him through the crowd of demons toward a shaking and nervous Miyu. She was chewing her lip and trying to stay calm as several demons paraded in front of her to get a closer look at the human set to marry a demon lord's son. Kohaku was beginning to feel overwhelmed himself, but Rin didn't seem to flinch under the judgemental gaze of the demons around the ballroom.
When it was their turn to step up to the couple Miyu's face lit up. Her nervous expression twisted into a toothy grin and she leapt up to hug them.
"Guys!" Miyu squeezed them tight and sandwiched herself between them.
"You look beautiful Miyu," Rin stepped back and admired her kimono.
"You don't think it's too much?"
"Are you kidding? You are a demon lord's wife."
"Well not yet," Miyu flushed red.
"It's close enough."
Miyu peaked around Rin's side and saw Kohaku and her face frowned.
"Is Soten not with you?"
"We sort of wandered off and left her and Shippo alone for a while," Kohaku spoke up and grinned.
"Oh…" Miyu seemed unnerved by the comment. "It's just Taka mentioned that he talked with her earlier and I wasn't sure if maybe she was upset by something."
"Taka?" Rin questioned and looked at the bird demon laughing with someone beside them.
Miyu nodded. "He didn't really say what it was about, but he stepped away a bit ago and came back like nothing happened."
"Hmm…" Kohaku hummed and inched over to Taka. "Hey," he grinned as Taka freed himself from his previous conversation.
"Kohaku, I hope you and Rin are enjoying yourselves. I would expect that everyone here has shown you nothing but the highest quality of hospitality."
"Yes, everything's great but do you think I could ask you something?"
"Of course anything."
"Miyu mentioned that you talked to Soten?" with his words Taka's eyes drifted to a blushing Miyu hiding behind Rin's back from embarrassment.
Taka smiled and chuckled slightly. "I'm sorry, have I made you worry Miyu?" she reddened more. "I did talk with your friend, nothing serious I promise you, I only wanted to meet her and deliver a message to her from my father. She was talking with a young fox demon when I saw her last. I am assuming she might have returned to her."
"A message?" Rin chimed in.
"I am afraid I can't tell you more. My father, though open to including me, likes to keep some of his decisions private."
Kohaku and Rin glanced at the large demon lord sitting stoically a couple feet away surrounded by guests eager to make an impression on him.
"Well, I don't see why he would have a reason to do anything now," Kohaku agreed and Rin nodded.
"I am glad that you both have come to trust us. As I said before, we have no ill intentions."
"Sorry for troubling you" Rin bowed and Kohaku followed suit.
"Not at all. I am hoping that we can continue to get along. Miyu would be devastated if we were to part on bad terms."
"Right," they both agreed.
"Congratulations, I can't wait until the wedding," Rin cooed, making Miyu flush all over again.
"So long as you keep us on the invite for your own."
"Wha-" Rin and Kohaku both flustered.
"Are you two not...together? I thought-"
"Well it's-"
"We just-"
Kohaku and Rin stumbled over themselves and Taka chuckled.
"Forget it," Taka stifled his laugh into a grin. "Please continue to enjoy yourselves."
Miyu gave them both one last hug as another group of guests made their way over to the hosts. Kohaku and Rin walked away not sure how they ended up getting so mixed up. No matter how much they knew how they felt about one another, it still felt strange to say it out loud around other people.
Rin found it hard to look Kohaku in the eye after their awkward conversation with Taka. As their gaze met she turned away and Kohaku felt his heart sink slightly. He hated feeling like Rin had any doubts, but he couldn't help second guess himself when someone brought it up. Were they together? He couldn't really say it with confidence, because in the back of his mind he still felt himself holding back.
"I guess we should try to find Soten…" Rin still wouldn't look at him directly and before he could respond she turned to move away.
"RIN!," Kohaku found himself shouting over the crowd and gripped her hand, spinning her to look at him.
She bit her lip and Kohaku stepped closer holding her shoulders. She didn't need him to say anything. She slammed herself into his chest and squeezed her arms around him. Kohaku sighed in relief and placed a palm on her hair softly stroking the strands as she nuzzled to his nape. He let himself live in the moment for a while and smiled letting his chin rest on her head.
"OUT OF THE WAY, OUT OF THE WAY!" a shrill voice broke Kohaku's blissful moment. "MOVE ALONG, I NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE LORD!"
Rin's head perked in recognition and she turned her attention to the parting crowd of bodies.
"Master Jaken?" she blinked in the direction of the small green imp appearing into view. His staff waving above his head as his small legs waddled forward.
"Wha- RIN!?" Jaken seemed shocked seeing the young human again.
"Why are you here?" she questioned.
"I was invited with me lord, why else would I be here you stupid girl," he sneered sticking up his nose.
"Sesshomaru is here?" Rin lit up, her smile spreading.
Kohaku felt his body tense at the mention of the demon lord. His mind swam with thoughts of the conversation he had weeks ago with Shippo. One of his points of concern with his relationship with Rin has always been the protectiveness of the dog lord. Though he left Rin to her own life long ago, he still visited frequently, and his soft spot for her was obvious, even though he would never acknowledge it.
"Of course he was asked to attend, he IS a lord isn't he. I should be questioning YOU. I thought me lord left you to stay in human society, why are you once again interfering with demons? Not to mention cuddled up with the slayer boy..."
"Uh?" Rin flushed, she had forgotten she was hugging Kohaku.
"Nevermind, I don't really care," Jaken waved them off. "Just stay out of me lord's way while he takes care of important business. He doesn't need you bothering him."
Rin watched Jaken waddle away and looked at Kohaku.
"It never crossed my mind that Sesshomaru would be here," she smiled.
"Yeah...should we go find him?" Kohaku couldn't hide the nervous crack in his voice and Rin giggled.
"You don't have to do that Kohaku."
Kohaku clenched his fist and took a breath. He felt like he was going to start shaking, and he wanted to throw up, but Rin couldn't hide how excited she was to hear Sesshomaru's name and he couldn't be the reason that she kept herself from seeing him.
"Let's go find him," Kohaku stilled his nerves and gripped Rin's hand.
She looked at his eyes and nodded. He swallowed hard and glanced around the room, the moving sea of demons looked to swell with every passing second. Kohaku remembered the dog demon lord from his brief time around him in his childhood. The white mane and cold stare was undeniable, but looking around he failed to spot him. He nearly expected him to materialize behind the imp, but large crowds didn't seem like something Sesshomaru would waste his time on.
Kohaku felt a light tug on his hand and noticed that Rin was moving forward. She stepped through the demons scattered about and stopped to look around. She scanned the room and noticed a sparsely populated area near an outer door to a balcony. Rin peeked her head out and frowned to find it empty.
"Darn," she pouted. "I thought I was on to something there."
"What are you talking about Rin?"
"Well I never really know where Sesshomaru disappears to. Most times he would leave me with Jaken and just kind of pop up when he was ready."
"Yeah I guess that was his pattern wasn't it."
Rin's face twisted into a disheartened scowl and Kohaku put on a smile.
"Let's keep looking. I am sure we can find him."
He spoke the words, but he had no confidence that they were true. If a man like Sesshomaru didn't want to be bothered it would likely be impossible to find trekked around the edges of the party for a while and didn't seem to have any luck. Every balcony or quiet room sat empty aside from a few people lounging around for fresh air. On the fifth balcony Rin sighed and plopped onto a cushioned seat.
"Rin?" Kohaku questioned when he saw her stretch out and get comfortable. "What are you-?"
"Waiting," she answered plainly. "If I want to see Sesshomaru I normally just wait, so that is what I am doing."
"But he doesn't know you are here, does he?"
"Probably not...but looking for him doesn't seem to be helping."
"Just like Sesshomaru," Kohaku agreed and sat next to her.
"Don't speak about me lord so casually human," Jaken's shrill voice penetrated through the stillness of the night air as he stood in the open doorway.
"Weren't you doing something Jaken?" Kohaku asked, slightly annoyed by Jaken's interruption.
"I'll have you know that I have completed my task."
"Then what are you doing out here?"
"THAT IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!"
"You can't find lord Sesshomaru either, huh? Rin spoke up and Jaken froze. Kohaku swore he saw the green in his face turn slightly red, but the imp was quick to right his composure.
"YOU STUPID GIRL I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU! OF COURSE I KNOW WHERE LORD SESSHOMARU IS!" he shouted looking satisfied in his response.
"So no then," Rin responded and Jaken fumed.
"SILENCE YOU!" he smashed his staff on the floor. "If my lord would just trust in me more then I wouldn't be stuck here talking with you. Unfortunately me lord's pride can outshine his-"
"Jaken," the cold voice silenced the imp mid sentence as the sleek figure of Sesshomaru appeared behind him. His white hair cascaded down his back and shoulders nearly blending with the white and red silk kimono draped around him.
"AH! ME LORD!" Jaken jumped and quickly bowed. "There you are, I was looking all over for you."
"LORD SESSHOMARU!" Rin sprinted to hug him, stepping on Jaken to boost herself up. He allowed her to put her arms around him, though he didn't return the gesture. "It's been a long time, thanks so much for the kimonos you left me."
"Hmm," was his barely audible acknowledgement.
"Miff onf mh," Rin heard Jaken's muffled words under her feet.
"What did you say Jaken?" she stepped off him and his head shot up.
"I SAID GET OFF ME!"
"Sorry Jaken," Rin giggled and stepped off of the tiny imp.
"The nerve," he complained as he straightened himself. "I will never understand your oblivious ways girl. Why are you two here anyway?"
"We are here on a job."
"What job could a couple of humans accomplish that would get them invited to a demon party?" Jaken scoffed.
"We escorted the bride here from her hometown," Kohaku answered.
"So you came here with that wild demon?"
"Wild demon?" Rin questioned Jaken's comment.
"Why do you think lord Sesshomaru is still around demon lord of the north wants to have a meeting about this rouge demon friend of yours."
"Meeting?"
"Jaken," Sesshomaru silenced the imp again.
"Do you mean Soten?" Rin looked to Sesshomaru pleadingly only to be met with a blank stare.
Without him having to speak Rin realized that it wasn't her place to ask and she chewed her lip. She glanced at Kohaku and could see the crease in his brow.
"I know I shouldn't but…" Rin paused. "I have been traveling with Soten and I don't know what you might be meeting about, but I trust her." Sesshomaru blinked slowly, but his expression didn't change.
"I think Rin means that we just want to look out for our friend," Kohaku helped to put more blunt words to Rin's comment.
"Don't hurt her."
"HOW DARE YOU MAKE DEMANDS OF LORD SESSHO-!" This time Sesshomaru himself stepped on Jaken shutting him up.
"Rin, to cause harm to your companion would be beneath me." He spoke bluntly as he always had, but Rin smiled at his words and nodded.
"Thank you lord Sesshomaru, I should have known that." Rin bowed hugging him again.
Rin was probably the only person in the world that Kohaku imagined would get away with hugging Sesshomaru and as awkward as the scene was it was oddly sweet to watch. Kohaku found himself smiling at the two, but as his eyes drifted upward he saw the golden stare of Sesshomaru's gaze looking back. Feeling a building lump in his throat Kohaku swallowed hard and shifted his eyes away.
"Is there a problem?" Sesshomaru questioned, but coming from him it felt more like a challenge that Kohaku did not want to take.
"I think he is just happy. It has been a while since Kohaku has seen you too and we just went through a lot to get here with our friends," Rin moved the conversation and proceeded to tell Sesshomaru of some of their adventure.
Kohaku occationally mustered the courage to look at the lord, yet when he saw his gaze staring back he couldn't help shift his eyes away nervously. He could feel the sweat falling down his back and he suddenly felt warm, like his blood was boiling under his skin.
The uncertainty crept back into his mind. Sesshomaru was a huge part of Rin's life. Someone she respected. If he couldn't manage to get over his own doubts and speak his mind could he ever really have anything with Rin.
"Do you have something to say...boy?" Sesshomaru slowly blinked his direction and Kohaku bit his lip.
"What would this human have you say to you me lord?" Jaken scoffed as he picked himself off the floor from under Sesshomaru's boot for the second time after speaking over Rin.
Kohaku repeated the question to himself. What do I have to say? He knew what he wanted to say, but what would happen if he did? He fought the twisting feeling in his stomach and tuned his thoughts out. They were too loud and they were distracting him. He just needed to say it, if he said it, the feeling in his chest would go away. He chewed his lip and took a breath.
"I LOVE RIN!" he blurted out the statement so loudly he heard his voice echo off the upper balcony above them. When he finally managed to will himself to open his eyes he had squeezed shut, his vision met a flustered red faced Rin. "I mean…" Kohaku swallowed and squeezed his fist to steady his shaking. "I know that you mean a lot to her, so I want to say this to you. I want to be important to her too and...I really want you to know that I will protect her just as fiercely as you." He bowed and swiftly raised his gaze. "I am serious about her."
Sesshomaru's silence mixed with his piercing stare made Kohaku's resolve falter slightly. He looked to Rin and she smiled with a slight tear in her eye.
"Kohaku," she lunged at him and gripped him into a hug.
"Rin?" Kohaku nervously looked up to Sesshomaru. The demon lord gave a slight nod and Kohaku swore he saw the faintest of smirks curl his lips before he gracefully turned on his heel and made his way back into the crowded ballroom. "Sesshomaru?"
At the mention of his name Rin perked her head and watched him disappear though the doorway.
"It's okay we'll see Sesshomaru again. He trusts me, and since you 'LOVE' me you will be around next time he visits."
Kohaku couldn't stop the heat from rising to his face and he was sure he had turned red. Rin giggled and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
"You meant it didn't you?" she asked but her grin told him she knew the answer already.
"I said it before and I will say it as many times as you need to hear it. I love you."
"I am going to hold you to that," Rin snuggled into his arms and he squeezed her to his chest.
The night air swirled around them and the rising moon and dwindling crowd should have been their clue to retreat indoors, but Kohaku couldn't bring himself to move. Sesshomaru was hard to read, but Kohaku could only rationalize his actions as agreeing to his feelings, and that made his relationship with Rin feel so much more real. For once he felt like nothing could stop him, and he had no plans of slowing down now.
Short one I know. Sorry .. I am starting on the next chapter though I can't promise when it will be out. sometimes it is such a long break between writing I have to go re-read and refresh my memory.
Anyways, thanks for the read and feel free to leave a comment or critique if you want :)
-ErynBenae
