*Disclaimer - Takahashi Rumiko is a freaking genius! Who in their right mind would try to claim her work as their own? I know I wouldn't, everyone knows I couldn't come up with anything as great as Inuyasha.*
Sequel to "Theft Through Seduction"
"You may deny your fate, but you cannot escape your destiny."
For Rin: Chapter 10 - Her Decision
Everything was different. Awkward, uncomfortable, silent, tense, strange. Rin usually enjoyed spending time with Sesshoumaru, but not any more. Perhaps her actions toward Aamiboshi had really upset him. But a week had passed since the Lord of the Southern Lands and his son departed and since then, nothing had been the same.
He looked at her different. Some would say nothing had changed about his expression especially since he was always expressionless. But Rin felt that she knew him well enough to know that the way he usually looked at her had changed. She could not tell how or why, but she saw the change. She found herself practicing by herself, eating by herself, as if Sesshoumaru were avoiding her. There was nothing she could do.
And she was afraid, afraid he might get rid of her some how, afraid that was what he was in the mist of planning to do. Sesshoumaru had shown her that he had not been jealous by her actions as she had hoped. It meant that he did not and would not love her. And now he wanted nothing to do with her. That hurt more than not being loved.
So she wandered around the castle grounds, depression weighing down her usually happy demeanor. She was on her way to the hot springs now in an attempt to drown out the cold and sadness. It was really too late to be outside, but she knew that the inu-youkais were able to sense the change in her mood. She wanted to avoid answering as many questions as possible, especially from Sesshoumaru.
The hot springs were most beautiful at night with the moon reflecting upon the surface of the water. Steam slipped into the air, making it look as though the moon were burning in the water. There were large rocks near the shore and in the water, creating some sort of privacy for anyone who was in the water. She stood behind one now, modest to the end even though she knew no one was around, and removed her katana and armor. Then she slipped off her hakama and held the kimono closed around her as she tiptoed to the water.
And nearly screamed when she saw tall figure with shimmering silver hair emerge from the water.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! I did not know you were here."
"Of course not. How could you sense anything with such depressing emotions clouding your senses? You were taught better than that. This Sesshoumaru is disappointed."
Rin looked down, clutching her kimono closer to her body. Shame washed over her, making her want to cry. Not only had Sesshoumaru noticed, but he was disappointed as well.
"What are you doing out so late?"
"I lost track of time and got cold so I decided to come here."
Sesshoumaru said nothing as he stared down at Rin. He was surprised that she had become so thoughtless with her actions. Her mood change had begun to bother him, so much so that he came to the hot springs to try to make sense of her behavior. He had taken into consideration what Ikie had shown him and what Aamiboshi had told him. For a time, he was led to believe that Rin did have love and affection for him, but that soon changed. It would seem as though the change in her behavior was the result of the loss of Aamiboshi's presence.
"You have been acting strange since Aamiboshi left. Do you miss him?"
Rin flinched at the question, wishing she had not strived so hard to make Sesshoumaru jealous. She turned, afraid to show Sesshoumaru the tears that were filling her eyes. "I do not."
The salt and water he smelled caused him to wonder why women were such confusing creatures. "Then why do you cry?"
"Ever since they left, it seems that you do not want nothing to do with me. Will you send me away Sesshoumaru-sama, will you make me become Aamiboshi's mate?"
"This Sesshoumaru does not believe Aamiboshi is worthy enough to have you."
"And you believe that I am not worthy enough to be with you in any way."
The sadness in her voice told him that she had accepted that fact as the truth. It made his chest pulse in something akin to pain. What Rin said had been some small part of the truth since he had plans to be rid of her. But he never thought her unworthy, never that. But because she knew his intentions, he hurt her, and that he could not stand.
"Rin. Look at me."
She hesitated, unwilling to let him see her tear stained cheeks. But she knew a command when she heard one and could never bring herself to disobey Sesshoumaru. So she turned back to him, wiped her cheeks with her sleeve, and slowly looked up at him. Her breath caught and her cheeks turned red. Embarrassment and what she had learned was desire coursed through her veins as she gazed upon the half naked youkai lord. He wore nothing more than a large piece of fabric to cover his lower half, showing off his well-toned chest and muscles. She kept her eyes locked on Sesshoumaru's, unsure of how her body would react if she looked anywhere else. Surely he would not be pleased by what he already sensed from her.
But that could not have been farther from the truth. He had hurt Rin, had made her cry, but it was obvious that the love and affection Aamiboshi spoke of still remained. He sensed her sadness but he also sensed the desire that mixed with her scent the moment she looked at him. Did she really care about him that much? And what of his own feelings? He walked slowly to her, thinking he should test them both. So he placed a hand on each of her shoulders, leaned down slowly, eyes open so that me may watch her closely, and kissed her.
Rin closed her eyes lazily, not believing what was happening. Sesshoumaru's lips were soft and tender, drawing her into the warmth that was his kiss. She pressed her body to his, forgetting she needed to hold her kimono closed as she wrapped her hands around him. Her hands slid up his back, tangled into his hair and she lifted her head slightly, some how knowing it would deepen the kiss.
Her hands felt like feathers dancing over his back and her lips were softer than silk. He tightened his grip on her shoulders, unwilling to let them wander. Those curves that had been hidden behind the armor now pressed against his body, tempting him to find out if the rest of her body felt like silk. But he was not looking for that information when he decided to test them. Rin wanted him, would have let him take her then and there. And he wanted her in return, that is all he wanted to know. So he broke the kiss, fighting the urge to go on when she tightened her hold on him.
Rin opened her eyes slowly, her body feeling unsteady. If she collapsed right now, he would hold her again. But the need to find out why he had just kissed her had Rin loosening her hold on him. She stared up into golden eyes that were clouded with desire and smiled, knowing she put it there. When she went to rise on her toes to kiss him again, Sesshoumaru held her at bay.
"Quite the little temptress you have become Rin. It is better that you retire for the night. Get the rest of your clothing and let us return."
Rin obeyed, realizing that nothing more was to happen tonight. She had seen the desire in Sesshoumaru's eyes but was unsure of how he planned to handle it. Would he make her his mate? She knew not, but she would see that he considered it. She was determined to make sure that what happened tonight would happen again and maybe lead to a little more.
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Two weeks passed and they only had a few secret rendezvous. Sesshoumaru would find her while she was doing her morning training and stand by, watching her, waiting for the right moment to kiss her. And then there were times after an afternoon meal when she would go to the gardens as usual and find him there, watching and waiting. But for Rin, passionate kisses were not enough. She knew Sesshoumaru wanted her, knew he was hesitant about giving in, but the torture was more than she could take.
So she took matters into her own hands. For the past three days, she did her best to avoid finding herself alone with him. She awoke earlier for her training or waited until after breakfast to train. She went to the gardens only when she was sure he would be busy with some important matter. When dinner was served, she was at the hot springs, intending to have a late supper. If she wanted a quiet moment to kiss Sesshoumaru, she would say when and where.
And if that wasn't enough, she made sure to torture Sesshoumaru when she could. She made it a ritual to pour his sake when he was in a meeting with Hanabi and Jaken. It was during those times that he saw fit to ignore her as if everyone in the castle did not known what was going between them. So she would make her feelings known by licking her lips at him or blowing lightly on his ear when she bent to pour his drink. Both actions, she had learned, had been enough to keep him entangled in her arms for that much longer. Rin knew her plans had worked when Sesshoumaru summoned her to his room before she retired for the night.
But she was disappointed when she saw the cup of sake on the table next to him, waiting to be poured. So she said nothing as she entered the room and filled his cup, deciding not to use the tricks she used when she usually poured his drinks. He could use her for such a menial task, but he would not use her to satisfy his desires when he wanted to. But as if he heard her declaration of disobedience, Sesshoumaru grabbed her hand roughly, refusing to let her rise to her feet. Rin found herself face to face with a slightly angry and aroused youkai lord.
"What of the little games you play when you pour my sake? Are you finally going to retire from such childish acts?"
Rin tried to pull away, found that her hand was held tightly in his grasp. "I do not know what you mean."
"You try my patience, Rin. You've gotten quite bold since your first taste of desire. For whatever reason you see fit to avoid me, it stops now. I will not let your foolish games deny this Sesshoumaru what he wants."
Rin stared at him blankly, understanding what this was about but could not decided if she should be hurt or amused. "It makes you angry, does it not? To be denied of what you want. Let it be known that I will continue to deny you so long as you continue to deny me."
She snatched her hand away when she saw the surprise from her boldness clearly written on his face, pleased that her plans had indeed been working. But before she could turn, her hand was pulled back with enough force to cause her to fall. She landed upon Sesshoumaru's lap and was kissed roughly before she could respond. Anger and want had her giving in without protest. Her hands tangled in Sesshoumaru's hair and her teeth bruised his lips.
Sesshoumaru pushed the table aside, lay Rin down upon her back, never breaking the kiss. His hands moved over her body, untying the sash of her yukata. She did feel like silk, and like a greedy peasant, he was determined to touch every yard of it. He followed his hands with his mouth, teasing moans from her lips. When his hand sought the treasure between her legs, he kissed her again, watching her eyes cloud with pleasure.
He kissed along her neck, pleased by the way she squirmed beneath his touch. Thoughts of her clouded his senses, tightened the hold on his heart. He was suddenly overcome with a strong desire to mate, to claim the woman who cried out louder than a newborn child. He found a spot on her shoulder, bit into it, determined to mark her as his. But when she cried out his name, his reverie was broken and he suddenly realized what he was doing. He pushed himself up quickly, rose to his feet and stared down at her, his breath coming out in broken gasp and his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Sesshoumaru-sama...? Daijoubu?"
"I cannot bring myself to mate with a human."
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Rin sat outside by the stables, waiting for Ah-Un to return from his night hunt. It had been the first time she stepped outside of her room in two days and she hadn't realized how cold it was becoming. Soon there would be rain, lightning, and thunder storms; a perfect reflection to her mood. Sesshoumaru's words had cut her deep, had shattered something inside of her. Since then, it seemed as though she had become the cold and emotionless person that was Sesshoumaru. It made her want to cry.
Surely Sesshoumaru was disgusted by the fact that she was sulking in her room, refusing food, something a true weakling would do. But it was as if the mere thought of Sesshoumaru drained her strength, her happiness, and her life from her body. So she made a decision that would probably suit him as it did herself. She rose as she saw Ah-Un return, finding the courage to go through with her plan.
"Ah-Un, take me to the forest of Inuyasha."
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Naoka, thanks so much for the idea. I had already written this chapter when I read your review but it has given me ideas for an upcoming chapter. And yes, Sesshoumaru is very stubborn. Sadly, his stubbornness doesn't end quite yet. Once again, sorry for the late update! I think I had this chapter written about a day ago but you know as they saw, so much to do, so little time. That is kind of my case. But the story is coming along very well and I imagine I will finish it by the 17th. Thanks for the reviews, I am so glad you are really into the story.
-~Rabid Anime Gurl