Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing. Nothing at all… *kicks legal firm under her bed*

AN: Ooh, last two chapters were depressing, so I'm adding in a bit of fluff via Sesshomaru and Rin. ^^ No pun intended, hope you all like! And I'll try to get back to the four swords thing, though most of it is really wrapped up: All four swords are found. The talismans, however… that's a different story. And there is also the Naraku thing… oh boy, I have a lot headed up. I'm expecting this to be done by… either February or January… something like that. Uh, still got lots to do…

Icari
Chapter 16

 Sesshomaru glared at Icari, who had set everything up for him yet left him to do nothing more than growl obscenities at her retreating back. Meanwhile, over his other shoulder, Rin was staring at him with her wide, wondering eyes.

 "Well…?"

 "…" Sesshomaru glared at the direction Icari had disappeared with their brother and wished that Rin would just drop the subject. Now… why was Jaken while this was taking place? He looked around to find that he could no longer smell the little toad-thing.

 That thing reminded him too much of that Myoga thing that followed his brother around, except that he would not deal with emotional struggles, but would take on danger at any second. Then, the little flea was the opposite, until emotional and physical came together. In other words, when he tried to open that hanyou's eyes; that was when he was a coward in emotional things.

Damn that stupid little toad…

 "Lord Sesshomaru, what is going on?" She was still leaning in closer, her scent filling his sense of smell, and her presence filling any other senses… Damn! He was becoming his father, except that he would be more loyal…

 Shaking his head mentally, He realized that he was letting himself commit his purpose towards the girl that was getting closer, and closer, and closer…

 … and closer…

 "Ump!" Sesshomaru stood quickly, pushing Rin onto her back. Her legs and arms flared, making her sprawl herself out on the ground. He felt immediately guilty, but still said nothing. She was slowly breaking him…  "Lord Sesshomaru?" She sat up, looking at him, confused. He took in her form: her longer, slender body, and her longer hair, which had been pulled back into a traditional hair style. It was wrapped somewhere with a length of cloth, with two strands falling onto her shoulders slightly, courtesy of that demon exterminator.

  Her bangs had been cut by his sister earlier, so that they didn't protrude on her facial features. A few loose strands of hair fell over her youthful face still, and it was all Sesshomaru could do to not reach out and push those out of her face. Her floral kimono spread around her slightly…

  "Are we going somewhere…?" She fidgeted slightly, a little uncomfortable under his steady stare. He wasn't stopping either, so Rin had decided to break the silence. It seemed to work well enough, except now, she had a feeling, her lord now was faced with a slightly embarrassing and awkward question. He hesitated, before asking her a similarly awkward question.

 "We could be here for a while. Is there…" Rin bunched up her little eyebrows, a bit confused at what he was about to ask. He wasn't rushing either. "Is there someplace you would like to go?" They sat in an uncomfortable silence.

 "I think I saw a field a bit back…" She gestured, to his dismay, a bit to the left of the direction Icari had gone off in. So he wasn't going to be able to catch up to her and "talk" to her… today. But, it would keep Rin occupied.

 "Let's go." Ah and Uh came out of the foliage and Rin climbed on, waiting for Sesshomaru to lead the way…

*~*~*~*~*

 "Sesshomaru-sama, where is Jaken-kun?" As they neared the plain, Sesshomaru was shaken out of his silence by that certain question.

 "He's gone somewhere." He could imagine the little toad now, wiping his forehead from relief of avoiding any kind of frustration released on him for the moment. "But I'll get him when he comes crawling back." The youkai muttered incoherently.

 "What was that?"

 "…" She frowned at his unwillingness to speaking. The silence was boring her, now that she had spoken so much with Shippo, Sango, Kagome and Icari. Now, the silence that she used to be used to, was awkward.

 "Oh, look! So many colors!" she jumped off the back of the two headed creature and ran into the field, falling to her knees to pick flowers. She would make pretty crown for Kagome, and Icari, and Sango…

 Sesshomaru watched as she started to move in the familiar movements she used to make before, when she would make floral crowns for herself (and, sometimes Jaken). Even after the last while, she could still do things she had before, even if she was a little older. Well, on the outside anyways. And the women had been teaching her proper etiquette for one her age, but they had very little effect, which he was glad of. Her innocence was one of a kind, a no one should take that from her but herself. It was her decision.

 The day started to pass, with Rin busy in the field and Sesshomaru resting against a tree. He watched her through lidded eyes, admiring the innocence still in her, yet her more regal, respectable form. A little creature bounded through the field, pausing as it came to her. It was a small, fluffy rodent.

 Stopping what she had been doing, she reached over to pat the little thing, every so slowly. Eventually, it let her, and she lifted it to her face. They rubbed noses, Rin laughing at the fur that tickled her own, and she let the thing lead her a bit to the sit, where there was a burrow in a tree.

 She hadn't lost her gentleness too, and he knew, that even now, she would tend and care for anyone or anything she came across that was wounded. She also looked a little like his half brother's woman too, now that they were about the same age.

 "Lord Sesshomaru!" His faced quickly snapped into her direction, thinking she was calling for help. But instead, she was smiling as she waved him over, indicating she had found something. Slowly, and hesitantly, he made his way over to her, and crouched down on a knee.

 A little bunch of rodents laid there, each as fluffy as the first one, but smaller. 'Must be its pups.' She sat there, the light of the setting sun giving her a bit of a glow. Everything seemed to blend in with her soft features and floral kimono.

 Unconsciously, an arm wrapped over her shoulders, surprising the both of them. She looked at him questioningly, and he watched her. Neither moved. After a moment, she leaned into him, and relaxed against his body against hers.

*~*~*~*~*

 In the shadows, a youthful male demon watched the two wistfully. He turned to the sunset with mournful eyes as the couple not far away sat in each other's arms, content for all their lives to stay like that. Against a tree, he placed one finger on the bark and began to trace the face of the woman who had captured his heart all those years ago.

 Two beautifully golden eyes, a small mouth with curved lips, an small, pointed nose. Two eyebrows, short hair, and two pointed ears on either side of her face. And, who could forget, the stripes on either side of her face.

 "Icari…" came a wistful whisper…

*~*~*~*~*

 Sesshomaru woke up to the whisper of his sister's name in the wind. Technically, he wasn't really asleep, but he had drifted off upon feeling the girl he felt so much for slacken in his arms. She was asleep, and more than content. But there was someone else nearby.

 Sniffing the air, he found it hard to determine what is was, but it wasn't a human, nor and animal demon. A water demon? Or wind? What was it? But it wasn't attacking him, and it seemed like no possible threat. He decided to let it pass, as he didn't want to wake Rin up…

*~*~*~*~*

 Icari turned, stopping and making her little brother bump into her. She had picked up a familiar scent, of a male.. but… her heart slowed from it's quick pace. No, it wasn't him. It couldn't be, as he had died so many years ago…

 Tears threatened to build up on her, but she wouldn't allow it. Not in front of her father, not in front of anyone, nowhere.

 "What is it?" Inuyasha sniffed the air and listened with his ears, but there was nothing. His demons senses were not those of hers, and he wouldn't pick up the slight smell of her guardian. No matter what.

 "Nothing, I thought I smelled someone I knew…" His ears flattened against his head, as he had been hoping it was Kagome. "Come on Inuyasha, you want to find your mate, don't you?"

 His face burned. "She  isn't my mate." She grinned.

  "No, she's your woman, and to-be-mate. Ain't that right?" She jabbed him in the chest, earning only a slight smile. "Aw, don't worry, we'll find her. She's probably seen her mistake by now, and is riding Kirara straight back here."

 "Feh." He suddenly realized something. "You still haven't told me anything about your mate."

 "No time, come one!" Touchy subject, he realized. 'oh well, I'll get it out of you, someday…"

 "I'll beat you there!" He half heartedly ran after her after she ran ahead in a burst of speed.

*~*~*~*~*

Umm… just excuse my romance/fluff, it's definitely not my specialty. Heh, you're probably trying to kill me as I won't tell you what's happening with Kagome and Inuyasha! He he.