Disclaimer: Once again, I tell you, I DON'T OWN IT ALREADY!!!!!! *Cough* Well, anyways, it all belongs to the goddess Romiko Takahashi.

A/N: *clears throat* In case you are starting to wonder, yes, I have dubbed this a romancy thing between Rin and Sesshoumaru. Yes, I write them in as a bit dense towards the situations they are in. I am trying to portray their characters (well, we still don't really know much about Rin, but mostly Sesshoumaru.) the way they actually are. I suppose I should change the story description to something about how Sesshoumaru's heart comes to accept love. Ok, on with the story, it is getting late, and I think I am ranting. hehe 0.o'

************************************************************* Some more words have been added to the list

Densha - palace

Sumimasen; gomen; gomennasai = sorry, sorry excuse me (idiomatic informal); same, more formal

Oyasumi = good night

Hontouni = really, truly

Doumo; doumo arigatou; doumo arigatou gozaimasu = thanks, thank you, thank you very much (in other words, it just goes up in formality.lol)

Otousan = father

Kami = God

Anuki = big brother

Ohayo; Ohayo gozaimasu = morning, good morning *************************************************************

Chapter 3 - A Journey Home (Once again, leaving off where the last chapter left off exactly)

For him, the night had passed excruciatingly slow, almost painfully, as he guarded the cave. He had heard his two companions talking in the cave, almost with interest, as the exchanged their gestures of Oyasumi. After a while Rin's 'heat' scent became a little stronger, and was threatening to drive the youkai mad. Back in the densha, he could stay his distance with only the light hint of the smell to assault his nose. Instead, here guarding the cave, he was in virtual close proximity to the girl. He had not take a mate since an in particular incident he preferred not to think about, involving his last unfaithful bitch. But the fact that he had not mated in over seventy years was starting to take its toll on him; he was starting to lose his control. He was seriously starting to think about taking a mate before Rin came along. Raising the girl took his mind off of other pressing matters, such as mating, but the girls intoxicating scent had made his body remember what he was missing for all these years. Beside he could never bring himself to rut with any other because strangely the only thing that seemed to make him 'work' was Rin. He knew deep within his mind how much he desired his underling, his Rin, but once again, his stupid pride had to get into the way. He did not love her, he did not want to. No, it was impossible to love the girl; after all she WAS only a mere human. He would never let himself love a human, never, no matter how much he wanted to.

His claws dug into the tree he was standing on, as he forced himself to concentrate on his current task. A few youkai had already started to come near there. ~Damn them.~ They probably came because she smelled like she was a youkai, spending eleven years with him and Jaken made her reek of youkai. He stood there, nearly choking the life out of the tree with a death-grip as he focused all of his senses on the surrounding youkai. Then, FINALLY, the sun slowly rose from the horizon. He felt his body relax and sighed with relief, they could start heading for the palace soon - where he would be able to successfully clear his mind. He jumped down off of the tree, after prying his claws from the tree in annoyance. He frowned lightly. ~How is it she does this to me? ~ He growled lightly and then headed into the cave.

Inside Rin and Jaken lie sleeping. Jaken's snoring sounded like a rampant wild boar was about to croak, and he wrinkled his nose at his noisy servant. ~Damn Toad.~ He decided to first wake Rin, and casually walked over to her futon - of course, Jaken happened to be laying in the way of his getting to her, so he 'accidentally' used his face as a stepping stone. As Sesshoumaru kneeled down to lightly rock Rin awake, Jaken squealed, raising his hands immediately to his snout in a vain attempt to hold back a bump swelling on his face, then started to wheeze. Rin slowly opened her eyes and moaned lightly sitting up, signaling Sesshoumaru to stand. He looked forwards, showing no expression on his face.

"Get ready, we are leaving shortly." He then went and stood at the entrance. Slowly, Jaken came to his senses and scrambled around to take care of the now empty futons.

"Ohayo Jaken-san!" she paused as she looked at him a bit more closely, "You have a bump on your nose."she mused to him. Jaken looked at the girl and grumbled, noticing she had already dressed.

"Mind your own business, human!" HE then scrambled out to his lord. "Ohayo Lord Sesshoumaru! I-I'm sure you mustn't have seen me in there, but ." he was cut off.

"Don't Jaken." A slight moment of silence passed. "We are leaving now. We are heading back home." Jaken obediently shut his mouth, realizing that his lord most likely was noticing the girls scent. Rin soon followed, wearing her usual small smile, looking purely innocent. ~Innocent shminocent, if she only knew how others seen her! ~ Jaken smirked to himself. Then, looking up, he noticed that both Rin and his lord had started off without him! He quickly scrambled after them.

"W-wait Lord Sesshoumaru! Don't forget Jaken-desu!" Rin looked back briefly to the silly toad youkai and fought off an intense and sudden urge to outright laugh at him. Instead, she turned her head around to follow her master. She had heard him tell Jaken they were heading home. It must mean it was nearing her time to bleed again. He always had her at the densha during that time; probably thought the smell of it was offensive. She shrugged if off, knowing that he felt her monthly bleeding a bothersome thing, and concentrated on him. She found herself watching how his hair flowed in the slightest wind and how it glimmered in the light. ~His hair is so beautiful. ~ She loved to comb and groom his hair for him; it was always so soft. As she followed him in her silence, she watched how it seemed that his skin glowed. It always seemed that it did, even in the moonlight. She sighed lightly to herself, why was it she always thought like this? It was probably fine to admire him - after all he WAS beautiful.

But it was that OTHER little thing that was always flashing through her mind. For some strange, mysterious reason, she kept picturing him leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. It was something that she had seen her master's hanyou half-brother and a strange miko perform once when they did not think that she was watching them. She blushed lightly at her thoughts, what strange things went through her silly head. He would never do such a thing, it was something, she figured, that only mates did. And she definitely was not going to be his mate. Not that she would object, of course, she loved him, adored him and whatnot. But she was only a human after all, and considered her self lucky to be in her master's company, for he despised all humans. Except for her, which everyone found to be something of an oddity. She also knew in his eyes she was at most to him his pup, and that fact further instilled the knowledge that he would never even think about, let alone ever take her as a mate. She felt her cheeks once again grow hot, and realized she was blushing again. ~Why must I think this way? You are a fool Rin! ~ Then she tried her best to regain her composure, becoming content as she followed her master.

Jaken looked ahead to the girl. Over the past few hours she had gained a blush upon her cheek twice, but noticed her facial expression never changed. Another habit she had received from his lord. She had the ability to control the expression on her face, but unlike his Lord Sesshoumaru's, which was always cold, hers always remained soft and pleasant. It was one of the things that he admired about the girl. This was one of the things that he admired about the girl. It was too bad the girl wasn't a youkai; she would make a great one. She was also the best with the short sword and daggers; she kept her daggers attached to her thighs and a short sword tied to her lower left leg, just above her ankle. She had only used them in training as no man or youkai dared come close enough to try and attack her. Though he was sure that she would be able to take care of herself when the time came to it. The only weakness being her speed, since she was human, but it was unlikely that a youkai powerful enough to beat our Rin would get past the all mighty Sesshoumaru-sama.

The first few years after Rin joined their small group, he had despised her. No, perhaps not despised her, more likely he was jealous of her. After all the years he had faithfully server his Lord Sesshoumaru, he just takes in this strange mute human child. After all those years, and even now, he did not hold one ounce of respect for him. Or kindness. Or friendship. Or pity. In fact, he knew that he just simply did not care for him, and it would not matter to his lord if he would die. Rin on the other hand, held his affections from the beginning. He could tell by the look in his lord's eyes when he watched the girl play. He had always rushed to 'save the day' for her anytime she was in a tough spot, while he was left alone to his own devices, and nearly perishing many times. In fact, his Lord Sesshoumaru almost looked sad any time he had returned alive. Yes, he was jealous of this human girl who had somehow weaseled her way into his lord's affections. But then, over the years, she too, weaseled her way into his affections, and was able to see what it was in her that his lord had seen. A light smile tugged at the edges of his mouth as he thought of it. They argued a lot, but it was all in fun anymore, in fact, he almost looked forward to their little arguments.

About two hours later, the small groups spirits rose as they seen the outer wall to the great Lord of the Western Lands' densha. Sesshoumaru nearly released a sigh of relief. Rin's heat scent had risen during their travels back home, and was starting to wish he had brought his beast Ah-Uhn with him during this trip. But now that he was here, he would be able to get a safe distance away from her without having to worry about her safety. ~Finally. ~ He went to a hidden place in the outer wall and opened a small passage that only he knew how to open. Soon, they were through the passage and he closed it off again. He looked behind him and noticed that Rin looked a bit peaked from the non-stop traveling. He could feel his eyes start to glaze over and looked away from her. Her scent had become so strong it was intoxicating.

"Jaken, take her inside and make her something to eat. Then make sure she bathes." He turned away from them then, ignoring the fact that Jaken had just started his infernal groveling. All he could think about was the fact that he had to separate himself from her. And the sooner he did that, the better.

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A/N: Well, here is another chapter. Hope you all liked it. The next chapter might be a bit shorter (I have only two days until my next day off. If not, you will have to wait a whole week. oy.)

Well, anyways, Nanitozo Yasashikusuru!