Love & Hate: The Collection

Unless By Force

"You are a grown woman, it's time for you to leave."

Her mouth dropped open and her knees wanted to buckle. Before her stood the only man she'd ever come to know as father. Her savior and protector. The man she loved, Sesshomaru. Oh, she'd heard the stories of the other human wench who'd foolishly thought herself worthy of his love and attention...but she'd always wondered if possibly she'd been more. It he'd come to accept her as a daughter, as a friend.

There were nights when she witnessed him whimper in his sleep, and she'd gone to his side. In the mornings, she spoke of it not, and treated him none the different. There had been battles where he'd been hurt, and he patiently let her apply salve, before pushing her away again. And there were moments when his cold eyes softened, and his prideful shoulders stooped, and his mind was troubled with memories that haunted him. Oh there were days upon days, when he was visibly weaker. But she never loved him less. She never loved him less.

And now, he wanted her gone? Now he wished, after fifteen years of loyal servitude, he wanted her to go? Long removed were the childish pigtails, her hair now fell in lustrous waves. Her innocent eyes had long since suffered the rape of reality. She was a woman. Voluptuous and friendly, she'd caught the eyes of many human and, surprisingly, demon males. She pondered the possibility that could be the reason he was going to kick her out.

"But Sesshomaru-"

"Remember your place!" he snapped at her. Dumbfounded, she took a step back, immediately bowing her head and clasping her hands.

"Unless your forcefully move me, Lord Sesshomaru, I'll follow you to the ends of this earth," she whispered. His golden eyes widened at her bold words, and the sincerity that dripped from every vowel.

"Dare you refuse?" he hissed. She'd never heard him angry, and it scared her more than anything else. But her heart was troubled. She couldn't leave, oh not just yet. He had so much to teach her, and she him. She had to show him that love could be brought to a youkai, and that she could be more than a human one day. She wanted to show him that, she was indeed his daughter, no matter whose loins she originated from.

"You promised me, Sessho, you promised me," she whispered. His eyes only widened more. There was a secret agreement that she was to never bring up that morning. That faithful day five years ago, when side by side with his hanyou brother, when Naraku was returned to hell, he had sworn that he'd always protect his Rin.

"I know what this, Sesshomaru, has promised," he growled dangerously. Gulping and floundering on the thin ice she was skating, she smiled slowly.

"Than I repeat, only by force, can you make me leave-"

A horrible pain filled her body as fire scorched a way down her arm. All she knew that her beloved demon was doing something awful to her arm. Twisting it until the bones creaked and threatened to snap, and the flesh bruised beneath his claws.

"Leave by choice, or I will force you," he calmly stated. For the first time since she'd met Sesshomaru, she cried. Large, cold, tears flowing freely down his arm and her face.

"Rin loves Sessho-chan, Rin loves Sessho-chan" she whispered against the agony. Suddenly she was released, clutching herself on the ground. He was backing away from her, like a snake rearing to bite.

"Take it back."

His voice was a whisper.

"If I do than it's a lie!" she wailed cradling her wronged limb and watching him through misted eyes.

"Than lie!" he demanded of her.

"I won't!" she shook her head and turned away.

"Than so help me, Rin-"

"Why do you insist on pushing me! Why Sessho? Once, I could've sworn you loved me too!"

"Don't equate such pathetic emotions to this, Sesshomaru!" His voice was eerie, low. His stance was unfamiliar, provoked. Like a tiger crouched in a corner, fearing for their very existence. This was new to the girl. This.......hesitation. She feared he'd pull out his whip and kill her. She never knew what to expect...

"No matter. I love you, and I won't lie for you!"

Again she found her life hanging at a thread as his claw, glowing, started to sting the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Do you hate me so?"

She was released. He was leaving, his back to her. Rin didn't know what to do, but let him, her heart breaking inside her chest.

'Why now?'

Years had passed slowly since that night, and than decades. Rin waited, patiently, for him to return for her, like always in the past.

But he never came. And she never left, eventually building a hut on that very hill he meant to leave her.

She married. Her belly swelled and daughters and sons were born to her.

Her husband died. Her children died, until again, she was left waiting for her beloved demon to come.

Hope diminished, escaping like the other curses on mankind, from her personal Pandora's Box.

And like an angel, he was there as she lay dying on her bed. Old and gray, she had withered gracefully, keeping a straight spine and thin body. With brown eyes black in age, she stared upon him half-blind. He hadn't changed in sixty years. Arrogant and prideful, a look of pity was on his face.

"And as I lay dying, my lord visited," she whispered, fragile underneath the numerous blankets. To her surprise, he kneeled beside her, something completely new about him.

"You asked me once, to remember you"

She smiled at the familiar tenor of his voice. No, he hadn't changed, and that was how she wished it be.

"I didn't want to witness you die, Rin. And so I released you."

Ah, that she'd figured out herself. The anger he seemed to feel when he didn't see the little, pig-tailed girl running to greet him.

"I will forget this old corpse that you've become, but never the spirit of your days of young"

Another smile, a final peaceful grin as sleep claimed her weary soul. Though he heard her soft snoring, Tensusiga's insistence kept him talking, making his deepest feelings arise from his black heart.

"I do love you too......my Rin"

And that was it, she had gone, slipping into the realms of Nirvana without an ounce of pain, like he wished it be. Nothing was left to tie her to earth now that the words she so longed to hear, had reached her straining ears.

With a final pat to her gray head, he walked out.

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

"What is it?"

"Someday, when Rin dies.......will you promise not to forget about me?"

(End)

Okay, a bit depressing. Not my best, but I can't really say my worse either.

That last quote is from Ep. 163 in the Inuyasha series. It just broke my heart and I had to write a story using it!

If anyone was wondering, We Can't Be Friends IS complete.

Just clearing the air.

BGLI