Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. =P
*cultural note- the forms of addressing people, such as -san is a form of respect for the person. -sama is way of showing even higher respect, but to use a persons name by itself is only done between people who are very close/intimate such as spouses or lovers
She always looked lovely by moonlight. A wisp of midnight black hair flew free from its place, striking against the blush that floated upon the surface of her pale cheeks. He knew it was his gaze that made her uncomfortable, and though he looked at her no differently now, he could sense her nervousness.
A small breeze floated airily by. She shivered slightly before tugging at the edge of her kimono to pull it closer to her body.
She looked at him in earnestness. He almost regretted what he had to say.
In anticipation of her reaction, his hand reached out, a gesture of comfort, but he stopped short of her hand. The breeze floated between them, brushed his hand lightly as he slowly retracted his offer.
He forced his gaze away, irritatingly self conscious due to the way she looked at him, berating himself for his clumsiness. How could he let himself get so weak towards her?
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" He could hear the apprehension and confusion, swirling through her voice, anchored only in her sudden concern for him.
He tried to feint a smile to comfort her; dropping it swiftly when he remembered that his smiles often unsettled people more than they comforted them.
"There is a reason why I've sent Jaken away."
Her expression voiced the unspoken "why?" he knew she would never openly ask.
"You know where we are going tomorrow."
Eyes lowered to the floor, she nodded her head sullenly.
"Inu Yasha Forest."
"You'll be staying with Kaede."
Silence. Disappointment. That was her first reaction he noted as he watched the words settle, slightly curious to note how she'd understand this situation. He was slightly alarmed at the level of disappointment hanging in her countenance, brows furrowed above her downcast eyes, trying to comprehend the implications. True, he had never warned her all those previous times when he demanded she stay behind. How she unraveled this bit of news was entirely up to her. Hopefully, she wouldn't understand. He was drawn in by the small pout that seemed to tug at the corner of her mouth, making her seem, for a moment, like the little girl he found in the forest though she had not frowned much since then. But her mind's confusion seemed to clear, or rather, dispelled by the sudden brilliance that illuminated her face as she smiled up at him with complete trust. He felt almost guilty under the scrutiny of that smile, yet he also couldn't help but note, in some obscure corner of his mind, a sense of relief. His business done, he turned to walk away.
"Ano . . . when," he paused, "when . . are you coming back?"
It was hardly more than a whisper, but it made him stop dead in his tracks, caught, off guard, the rare feat only she seemed capable of, by her simple question. He wondered how many times she had wondered that question before, how many times she pondered it while she waited for him alone. But she had never asked. She had never really questioned him before. Ironic, he reflected to himself. Leave it for now, when it mattered. . .when he couldn't answer, that she should ask.
He turned to look at her. She was still smiling, though he had known her long enough to recognize it for what it was. She had always smiled for him. For so long it had been genuine, but lately, she had begun to mask things from him. He knew she was worried, knew she was struggling to understand why he was leaving her behind like this.
He strode towards her quietly. He fought to defend himself from the sadness threatening to creep into his expression. His hand reached out to touch her hair affectionately. Another habit he now berated himself for, only to stop suddenly when he noticed the sudden sadness in her eyes. She blushed slightly and looked away shyly. He was confused for a moment, bewildered by this shift in behavior, resigned to merely watching her intently.
"Gomen. I shouldn't have asked." she murmured softly towards the forest floor, keeping her eyes averted. He grew even more perplexed. Surely she knew he wasn't angry with her. Sesshoumaru stood, quietly puzzling over Rin's odd behavior. "I'll wait for Sesshoumaru-sama." She hesitated, blushing even more furiously than before. "Sesshoumaru-sama ga daisu. . ." But he wouldn't allow her to continue. He couldn't. Bringing her chin up to face him, he firmly planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. He had seen Rin do it to Jaken enough times to know how to do it properly. He felt her stiffen, startled no doubt by his unexpected reaction. Or prevention rather. He had heard these words already many years before when he was still unwilling to accept them; but now. . . now they must be silenced. Nothing good could come out of them anymore. Instead, he could only treat her like a child. She had to know where they stood. He was her guardian and nothing more; and though he had allowed her subtle displays of affection in the past, tonight it ended.
Boldened perhaps, by her emotions, she threw her arms around him. He recoiled at first, awkwardly uncertain of how to react. But he resigned, and relaxed, allowing her this one last opportunity; standing there awkwardly and uncomfortably, he was hesitant to move while Rin clung to him so tightly. He couldn't help but smell her hair; noting the scent of flowers and forest grass. The result of spending so many nights in a forest, or relaxing on the ground while she stared up at the sky, as she often did.
"Sesshoumaru. . .*" she whispered.
He almost pushed her away, startled, by her failure to address him properly, by her complete forwardness with him, but stopped at the faint scent of tears mingled against her skin. He nearly sighed and slowly, rather reluctantly placed his arm around her waist, careful of how he touched her, as though she were a doll that could easily break. They stood there silently, Sesshoumaru half angrily wondering how he'd lost control, patiently waiting for her tears to cease.
Sesshoumaru's mind slowly came back to the present, wondering briefly why he was thinking about that night at a time like this, remembering only in his disgust when he looked at the woman in front of him; her long blond hair flowing, unkempt around her, dispersing the scent of sakura blossoms rinsed in sweat. His mind wandering back to the nostalgic image of Rin, bashfully toeing the ground in her orange kimono, eyes lowered modestly while blushing for him under the clear silver moon; He remembered, to perfection, the scent of her hair, fresh flowers untainted - the image of innocence and unmarred purity, catalyzing the completion of his repulsive task upon which he promptly dropped the female youkai with distaste.
He sneered at the irony. Is this how his father felt?
He swiftly left the chamber, unconcerned with his guest's welfare, seeking out instead, the nearest bath in his eagerness to rid himself of her lingering scent. Maybe Jaken will get off my case now, he thought in annoyance before his mind returned to the severity of the situation and a small sense of satisfaction.
She'll conceive. I'm sure of it.
*cultural note- the forms of addressing people, such as -san is a form of respect for the person. -sama is way of showing even higher respect, but to use a persons name by itself is only done between people who are very close/intimate such as spouses or lovers
She always looked lovely by moonlight. A wisp of midnight black hair flew free from its place, striking against the blush that floated upon the surface of her pale cheeks. He knew it was his gaze that made her uncomfortable, and though he looked at her no differently now, he could sense her nervousness.
A small breeze floated airily by. She shivered slightly before tugging at the edge of her kimono to pull it closer to her body.
She looked at him in earnestness. He almost regretted what he had to say.
In anticipation of her reaction, his hand reached out, a gesture of comfort, but he stopped short of her hand. The breeze floated between them, brushed his hand lightly as he slowly retracted his offer.
He forced his gaze away, irritatingly self conscious due to the way she looked at him, berating himself for his clumsiness. How could he let himself get so weak towards her?
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" He could hear the apprehension and confusion, swirling through her voice, anchored only in her sudden concern for him.
He tried to feint a smile to comfort her; dropping it swiftly when he remembered that his smiles often unsettled people more than they comforted them.
"There is a reason why I've sent Jaken away."
Her expression voiced the unspoken "why?" he knew she would never openly ask.
"You know where we are going tomorrow."
Eyes lowered to the floor, she nodded her head sullenly.
"Inu Yasha Forest."
"You'll be staying with Kaede."
Silence. Disappointment. That was her first reaction he noted as he watched the words settle, slightly curious to note how she'd understand this situation. He was slightly alarmed at the level of disappointment hanging in her countenance, brows furrowed above her downcast eyes, trying to comprehend the implications. True, he had never warned her all those previous times when he demanded she stay behind. How she unraveled this bit of news was entirely up to her. Hopefully, she wouldn't understand. He was drawn in by the small pout that seemed to tug at the corner of her mouth, making her seem, for a moment, like the little girl he found in the forest though she had not frowned much since then. But her mind's confusion seemed to clear, or rather, dispelled by the sudden brilliance that illuminated her face as she smiled up at him with complete trust. He felt almost guilty under the scrutiny of that smile, yet he also couldn't help but note, in some obscure corner of his mind, a sense of relief. His business done, he turned to walk away.
"Ano . . . when," he paused, "when . . are you coming back?"
It was hardly more than a whisper, but it made him stop dead in his tracks, caught, off guard, the rare feat only she seemed capable of, by her simple question. He wondered how many times she had wondered that question before, how many times she pondered it while she waited for him alone. But she had never asked. She had never really questioned him before. Ironic, he reflected to himself. Leave it for now, when it mattered. . .when he couldn't answer, that she should ask.
He turned to look at her. She was still smiling, though he had known her long enough to recognize it for what it was. She had always smiled for him. For so long it had been genuine, but lately, she had begun to mask things from him. He knew she was worried, knew she was struggling to understand why he was leaving her behind like this.
He strode towards her quietly. He fought to defend himself from the sadness threatening to creep into his expression. His hand reached out to touch her hair affectionately. Another habit he now berated himself for, only to stop suddenly when he noticed the sudden sadness in her eyes. She blushed slightly and looked away shyly. He was confused for a moment, bewildered by this shift in behavior, resigned to merely watching her intently.
"Gomen. I shouldn't have asked." she murmured softly towards the forest floor, keeping her eyes averted. He grew even more perplexed. Surely she knew he wasn't angry with her. Sesshoumaru stood, quietly puzzling over Rin's odd behavior. "I'll wait for Sesshoumaru-sama." She hesitated, blushing even more furiously than before. "Sesshoumaru-sama ga daisu. . ." But he wouldn't allow her to continue. He couldn't. Bringing her chin up to face him, he firmly planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. He had seen Rin do it to Jaken enough times to know how to do it properly. He felt her stiffen, startled no doubt by his unexpected reaction. Or prevention rather. He had heard these words already many years before when he was still unwilling to accept them; but now. . . now they must be silenced. Nothing good could come out of them anymore. Instead, he could only treat her like a child. She had to know where they stood. He was her guardian and nothing more; and though he had allowed her subtle displays of affection in the past, tonight it ended.
Boldened perhaps, by her emotions, she threw her arms around him. He recoiled at first, awkwardly uncertain of how to react. But he resigned, and relaxed, allowing her this one last opportunity; standing there awkwardly and uncomfortably, he was hesitant to move while Rin clung to him so tightly. He couldn't help but smell her hair; noting the scent of flowers and forest grass. The result of spending so many nights in a forest, or relaxing on the ground while she stared up at the sky, as she often did.
"Sesshoumaru. . .*" she whispered.
He almost pushed her away, startled, by her failure to address him properly, by her complete forwardness with him, but stopped at the faint scent of tears mingled against her skin. He nearly sighed and slowly, rather reluctantly placed his arm around her waist, careful of how he touched her, as though she were a doll that could easily break. They stood there silently, Sesshoumaru half angrily wondering how he'd lost control, patiently waiting for her tears to cease.
Sesshoumaru's mind slowly came back to the present, wondering briefly why he was thinking about that night at a time like this, remembering only in his disgust when he looked at the woman in front of him; her long blond hair flowing, unkempt around her, dispersing the scent of sakura blossoms rinsed in sweat. His mind wandering back to the nostalgic image of Rin, bashfully toeing the ground in her orange kimono, eyes lowered modestly while blushing for him under the clear silver moon; He remembered, to perfection, the scent of her hair, fresh flowers untainted - the image of innocence and unmarred purity, catalyzing the completion of his repulsive task upon which he promptly dropped the female youkai with distaste.
He sneered at the irony. Is this how his father felt?
He swiftly left the chamber, unconcerned with his guest's welfare, seeking out instead, the nearest bath in his eagerness to rid himself of her lingering scent. Maybe Jaken will get off my case now, he thought in annoyance before his mind returned to the severity of the situation and a small sense of satisfaction.
She'll conceive. I'm sure of it.
