Ch. 4
I do not own Inuyasha
Sesshomaru was laying on his back, in his borrowed room.
He couldn't bring himself to leave just yet. He looked back to the conversation he had with Rin.
*flashback*
"Rin Johansson."
"Rin," her name rolled off his tongue easy enough. She smile that smile of hers, nodded her head and was about to leave again when he stopped her.
"Is there any way I can repay you?"
Rin turned around again with a confused look on her face.
"Repay?"
Sesshomaru clarified.
"Would you like money for letting me stay in your home?"
He saw her give a big sigh and shook her head no.
"No payment is necessary Mr. Takahashi. I'm just glad I could help," she said and left without another word.
For the first time in his life, he was dumbfounded. Who in their right mind would refuse compensation of any kind? Especially coming from somebody like him.
He was beyond rich. He knew that she knew that.
But…she refused.
*end flashback*
He was in his room the entire day thinking about it. He couldn't leave because of it. It didn't sit well with him.
It was only until she tried to start up her beat up old Chevy that an idea started to form.
She was gone with it for two hours and only when she came back with it did the idea he had, cemented there.
Her truck shuddered to a halt, backfired twice, steam started to come from under the hood and it died.
Sesshomaru was going to fix her truck.
XOXO
Rin sat in her truck wide eyed for a moment. She knew it was on its way out and probably for the final time. The truck had been in her family since her grandfather drove it brand new off the lot.
She leaned her head on the steering wheel, took a deep breath and yelled-
"FUCK!"
She yanked the door open, got out and slammed the door closed.
"Rin are you okay," Kohaku came running to her side but seeing the steam still rising from under the hood he understood why she was upset.
"Do you…?"
"No Kohaku. I think it's time to finally retire the thing. It's going to be horse and buggy till I find a new mode of transportation," Rin replied, sighing, turned for the barn, Kohaku following.
That was when Sesshomaru struck.
He quickly made his way down the steps and opened the truck door. I was already in neutral, so he undid the parking break and moved it quite easily to the side of the house where the garage was situated.
Making it to the garage he opened it and sighed. It was a mess.
He moved very quickly, making a space for the truck, moved it in and shut the door.
And not a moment too soon because Rin just walked out of the barn.
XOXO
Rin was distracted as she walked out of the barn, not really noticed anything out of place. She made it up the porch steps when she paused. She turned and took notice.
"Where's my truck?"
It was right there a moment ago.
She was utterly confused on where it could have gone. No one in their right mind would steal a broken down truck.
She looked at the ground and noticed the tire tracks and it was pushed by one person.
Rin stepped down from the porch and noticed the footprints. They weren't Kohaku's. There were too big.
"Mr. Takahashi?" she questioned his name out loud. It was the only conclusion she could come up with as she followed the tracks to her garage.
She heard clangs and a lot of movement going on inside. In one swift move she opened the garage door to reveal her truck.
She just stood there, not entirely believing what she saw. Rin rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
She wasn't gone maybe twenty minutes and her truck was completely taken apart. The tires were taken off, the body on mounts to keep it off the ground. The engine was lined up in pieces along the wall, marked appropriately with tape.
And at the back wall, standing with his back to her was Sesshomaru.
He turned then, looking at her shock clearly displayed on her features. Then her eyes started to water, as if some emotion or memory was coming to the surface.
Sesshomaru held his breath, watching and waiting for the tears to flow. He was not prepared for tears. He had no understanding for comforting anybody, but as soon as her watery eyes came, the dried.
Sesshomaru let go of his breath in slight relief, but waited for her to say something.
"Why?" she finally asked.
He made his way to her then and took out a piece of paper and handed it to her.
"Everything wrong with your truck is on that paper or what I have found so far. I plan to fix it for you as repayment for me staying in your home," he said and for an afterthought said, "You also seemed distraught when it quit."
During Sesshomaru's explanation as to why he tore apart her truck, she opened the paper to look at a very long list. The engine, transmission needed major overhauls, it needed new filters, shocks were shot, tires need replacing, the list went on.
His las remark is what really got her. She started to laugh.
Sesshomaru now knew. All women were emotionally crazy. He could not fathom what went on this particular woman's head to go from tears, to resignation, to laughter. It was…mind boggling.
Once Rin had calmed herself, gave him one of her smiles and nodded her head in acceptance.
"Okay you may fix my truck. Um, ya," she said but seemed to be a loss for words and turned back to the house.
Sesshomaru looked back at what he had done and then closed the garage door to go back inside to wash his hands and to make some calls.
XOXO
Sesshomaru found it slightly frustrating trying to find parts for Rin's truck. Internet was slow, but he managed in a couple of hours, found everything he needed.
Next step was to clean everything.
So he spent the rest of the day in the garage prepping every single part, marking each piece, memorizing every facet of the vehicle in question.
He had to admit that he liked working with his hands.
*knock, knock*
He turned to see the woman Rin in the doorway of the garage.
"Hi," she said holding a bundle of clothe in her arms. She looked around at all the parts of her truck in organized piles. She was amazed at how fast Sesshomaru took apart her truck.
Looking back at him she said, "I brought some of my father's old coveralls, to keep the grease and oil off your clothes."
Sesshomaru looked down on himself and saw that his pants and shirt was stained and now ruined. He took the coveralls gladly.
Rin turned to go but turned around again and spoke.
"I'm making steaks for dinner. Would you like some?"
Sesshomaru took only a second to respond.
"That would be greatly appreciated."
"How do you like-?"
"Rare."
"One or two?"
"Two if you would."
"Baked potato, salad…?"
"Just the steaks."
"Alright, two steaks and rare, coming up," she smiled and walked away.
Rin for some reason couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day. She felt good and work went easy. The wild horses were counted and the young ones were given shots and then set loose once again. Which they gladly ran off over the horizon.
Once done she had Kohaku prep the wagon so she could make her veterinarian rounds and to take out the steaks to thaw for dinner.
"Hey Kohaku, are you staying for dinner?"
"No, I'm going to spend it with my sister."
"Okay sounds good," she said getting in the very old wagon and departed for the rest of the afternoon. Kohaku continued working and then he too left for home.
Only then did Rin come back in the wagon and started to prep for dinner.
Rin's smile never faded all day, even when she had to help a cow give birth. She sprinkled seasoning on the steaks, secret family recipe.
She would make sure to do his first. She slapped the steaks on the grill, counted precisely and carefully in her head. Flip. Count. Once done she placed Sesshomaru's steaks on the plate and added hers onto the grill for longer time to cook.
With his plate, fork, knife, and napkin in hand, she walked toward the garage.
"Mr. Takahashi?" she questioned out loud not immediately seeing him. A rustle came from underneath the truck and Sesshomaru came into view. She held up the plate for his eyes and he nodded his head toward the workbench.
Rin placed the food carefully down and said, "Enjoy." With that she left to make sure she didn't burn her own.
Sesshomaru watched her go and then looked to the two steaks that smelled like heaven. His mouth watered in anticipation, as he walked toward the food, cleaning his hands as he went. Taking the fork and knife in hand, cut his first slice and placed it in his mouth. He chewed once, the first piece he cut had a big chunk of fat attached. Juice enveloped his mouth, his eyes rolled back at the tenderness of the steak. It was perfectly rare, one of the best steaks he ever had and that was saying something. Sesshomaru was a very picky eater.
This was something else though. He didn't know what made him do it but he foregoes the knife and fork and started eating with his hands. He ate with relish and a slight savagery he didn't even know he had. Before he realized it though, both steaks were gone. He felt a slight disappointment that they were gone too soon.
His hands were covered in juices and grease. He licked them clean.
It was the most satisfying meal he had ever had and he wondered why. To distract him away from thinking too hard on the subject, he cleaned up for the evening.
XOXO
A/N: Another chapter for your enjoyment. I am hoping to be more regular when updating. Till next time peeps!