Disclaimer: Inuyasha is Copyright of Takahashi Rumiko
Nothing Without The Other
Chapter 3
Water tumbled over the cliff with cries of crashing waves. It pounded against the surface of the water beneath it, sounding like endless thunder. Mist hung heavily in the air as though it was rain and made the temperature drop considerably. The scent of fresh water did nothing to lighten the mood.
"Focus," came a strong and demanding voice.
The wind rustled through the bare tree branches and stirred fallen leaves into the air. Rin shivered as it blew through her hair. She diverted her eyes this way and that, though the cloth over her face blinded her to everything. Her ears felt like they were going to bleed, her nostrils were clogged with the scent of water, and she felt as though she had caught ammonia.
"Come," the deep voice beckoned to her.
She turned her head to where it came from. She felt it's presence just beyond her and trusting instinct, she rose to her feet and faced it. She ordered her mind to tune out the crashing water and its scent, to ignore her own cold skin and concentrate on this figure alone.
Cautiously, Rin took a step forward, not quite sure of her surroundings, and then took another, then another. Slowly the figure began to take shape in her minds eye as did everything else around her. What she heard and smelled, she could now feel. Her steps became more confident. There, directly in front of her, was a tree. She sidestepped easily and continued on, smiling with pleasure as she reached her goal.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" She ripped the blindfold from her face and tripped over a small fallen branch.
Sesshoumaru stepped forward and quickly caught her by the elbows. "You are quite clumsy."
Rin beamed up at him. "Gomen ne, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm just excited. I finally made it to you."
He released her slowly, silently cursing Toutousai. He was well aware that the old youkai wanted him to help Rin adjust and at the same time, he could adjust as well. But Toutousai was unaware that he had placed him in a very awkward position. Sesshoumaru had barely become used to seeing Rin as an adult and now he had to deal with a woman whom he was obviously attracted to.
And did she have to smile at him so and say things like that?
"You should not be so excited over one accomplishment, especially when you still lack focus and concentration. You will do it again."
Her smile quickly turned into a frown, but she turned away without complaint. After all, she had been expecting that. This was the first time in the week of her training that he had said anything more than "again" or "come" and "focus". He never commented on her progress, never offered any advice. He continued to be the same cold and reserved Sesshoumaru who said little.
Rin supposed she should be pleased that he was acting...normal. She had been quite worried in the beginning that he was displeased with what he had done to her. And while she was convinced he did not mind it or her presence, there was still something about him that often made her feel uneasy. Somewhere, deep inside Sesshoumaru's hidden soul, a battle was being raged. Why and between whom was a mystery Rin doubted she would ever get answers to, but the least she could do was try to lighten his mood.
"Sesshoumaru-sama," she said lightly as they finally made their way back to his estate.
"Nani?" He asked, keeping his eyes trained ahead of him.
Rin bit her lip and quickly chided herself for the childish act. "May we sit for a moment? I'd like some time to myself before I return to being followed around by Fumiko or one of her sisters."
Sesshoumaru stopped short and slowly turned to her. "Do you dislike them?"
"No, it isn't that," she turned and made her way back into the forest to find a place to rest. "I am simply not used to being waited on. I have always taken care of myself."
When he followed after her without speaking, she continued. "I am quite grateful to them, but I do need my space."
"This Sesshoumaru understands."
He followed her to a small, but spacious field a good distance from the estate. The grass there was still a lush green and grew wildly where it had not been trampled. Hues of red and purple splashed across the cloud filled sky and played across Rin's face as she sat unceremoniously to the ground. The wind picked up, as if trying to send them indoors, and reminded them both that winter was already here.
Sesshoumaru chose to ignore it and the tempting image Rin made.
"The Western Lands are quite beautiful. I don't understand why you spent so much time away," she admitted as she looked up at him.
"I spent the majority of my childhood here," he brushed his hair behind his ear as if brushing away the topic of his younger days. "These lands are the same now as they were then."
Rin, however, ignored his obvious attempt to quiet her. "You make it sound as though your time here was unhappy."
"It was neither happy, nor sad. I was raised to follow in my father's footsteps as Lord of the Western Lands."
"All work and no play then?" She asked quietly, as if she were sad for him.
"I am sure we have very different definitions of play," he tucked his arms in his sleeves. "And the work comes with the territory."
Many moments of silence passed as they watched the sun set. Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru for a moment and wondered how they had come to this. Months ago they had been at each other's throats and making angry accusations. Now here they were, content in each other's presence as if nothing had happened. Some how, Rin felt unsatisfied and felt as though there should be more to their strange relationship after they had gone through so much. Suddenly she desired to know much more.
"What was your father like?" She asked.
"He was powerful beyond imagination and he ruled these lands with equal power," Sesshoumaru turned and began to walk towards to the estate, signaling that this little escape, like their conversation, was over.
Rin rose quickly to her feet and followed after him. "It is obvious that he was powerful when you take into consideration the swords that were forged from his fangs and the power you inherited from him. But I am not asking about his power."
"His actions were driven by his power. That is how he came to acquire and rule these lands," he said with finality.
She raised an eyebrow. "Even his actions to find a mate?"
"Hai."
Rin was well aware that he did not wish to speak further on the matter, but she pushed anyway. "How was his power increased by taking your mother as a mate?"
Sesshoumaru clinched his teeth. "Prestige and alliances."
"Love was not involved?" She asked curiously.
"Such foolish emotions are rarely involved when a youkai chooses a mate," he revealed with just a hint of annoyance.
"But Inuyasha chose his mate out of love."
"Obviously that fool is the exception, as usual."
"Are hanyous always the exception?"
Sesshoumaru stopped abruptly and turned to face Rin. "Why are you asking all of these questions as if you were a child once more?"
Rin gave him a sly grin, pleased she could still get a rise out of him. "I think I should know a little history of those who rules these lands before you if I am to stay here."
His face gave away none of his annoyance as he looked down at her. "You know all that you need to know. My father was a powerful, respected daiyoukai who was feared by many. He ruled these lands with honor. No more questions."
"But Sesshoumaru-sama, except for him being powerful, all that information was new to me. Perhaps there is more that I should know," she added with a smile.
He resisted the urge to growl in frustration before he turned away and marched back to the estate.
Rin smiled wickedly. She rather enjoyed toying with Sesshoumaru. It made things much more interesting since he did not wish to hold long conversations with her. She had to do something to pass the time away when he was not training her. And what better way for them to interact on less serious terms than to get under his skin? She could think of no better way. In fact, she already had an idea.
Sesshoumaru walked leisurely toward his destination, more reluctant than before to spend the day training Rin. Her behavior last evening had surprised him since he had thought she had put an end to her behavior. It would seem, however, that much had not changed. Rin was still just as determined as ever to rile him up. He knew that he should be pleased that her transformation did not change their relationship, but he was not as eager to settle back in to their bickering just yet. Truth be told, he was stilling finding it difficult to adjust to her being here.
Just two weeks ago she had been on the brink of death. He was still trying to comprehend the strange emotions that had caused him to feel so weak and vulnerable. That strange constriction upon his heart had not eased. It simply was lose enough for him to perform simple daily necessities. The thought of ever feeling that way again terrified him as much as the idea of Rin's death. This Sesshoumaru did not scare easily.
Still, he would not deny that at that time, he could not recall ever feeling so much fear. For Rin to brush of what had nearly happened to her and go on as if everything was normal was a telltale sign that she was far too much like him. He should be the one who treated the situation as though it was nothing, as was normally the case. But he had only to look at her face to be reminded that she had only changed because she nearly died. It was something he found difficult to forget.
Perhaps if he gave in to her games he would find it easier to move on. There was no need for dwelling upon what had happened. He could not change the past even if he wanted to. Rin was alive and more than well, therefore nothing more was needed to be done or said. Once he taught her to better use her new powers, he could spend less time worrying about her safety and simply enjoy his life with her.
Sesshoumaru stopped and mulled over his previous thought. What had he meant by his life with her? What exactly was he trying to imply? For many moments he tried to find an answer, but it seemed content to elude him. Setting the matter aside for now, he continued forward, anxious to get this training session over as soon as possible.
But when he reached his destined spot, Rin was nowhere to be found. Her scent, save what remained from the day before, was not there, nor had it been there recently. Normally they made the short journey out there together, but her servants told him she had left, assumedly to begin her training earlier that day. He had been pleased that Rin had taken the initiative to work harder but now he found that he was severely disappointed. If she was not here and had not been here recently, then she was probably doing something foolish like collecting flowers or some other ridiculous thing.
He set his anger aside, wanting to make her feel the full brunt of it as he made the trip back to his estate. He would send someone to find her and escort him to his study. He would scold her like a child, predicting that it would make her extremely angry, and put her through the most rigorous training session ever imagined. No one wasted his time without penalty.
But as Sesshoumaru entered his study, he was surprised to find that Rin was already there.
Rin turned as Sesshoumaru slid the screen open. Her eyes immediately met his and she saw the briefest hint of surprise before it was quickly masked behind his cold exterior. She held his gaze for several moments, trying to decide if she should acknowledge the time of day or go about what she was doing. Deciding that it would get more of a rise out of him, she went with the latter.
"Is there...something you need Sesshoumaru?" She pulled another scroll from one of the shelves and sat beside the table.
"You do not have permission to be in here."
"I was not aware I needed permission," she lied. "I was simply reading the information you seemed to reluctant to voice."
He crossed the room in a few steps and snatched the scroll from her hand. "I did not give you the information because you do not need to know it."
"Why is that?" She rose to her feet and stared at him. "Do you have something to hide?"
"This Sesshoumaru is under no obligation to tell you anything, whether the information is hidden or not."
"Exactly why I am reading these scrolls," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You have no desire to speak to me more than you have to, so I'm merely saving you the trouble."
"Perhaps I would be more inclined to speak to you if you did not undermined everything I say."
"That is the price to pay when you are overbearing and demanding and secretive."
Sesshoumaru grabbed her arm as gently as his anger would allow and dragged her across the room, ignoring her cries of protest. He spun her around to face him and leaned in until their faces were mere inches apart. When her eyes widened slightly in surprise once she caught the dangerous gleam in his eyes, he was more than pleased.
"If you expect this Sesshoumaru to continue to provide you with anything, be it information about my family or shelter, you will treat me with respect."
He pushed her with just enough force to make her step backwards and out the door. Before she had a chance to speak, he slid the door closed.
Rin stood quietly for a moment before turning on her heel. Well, that went well, she thought with a small smile. Though she would have to learn to bite her tongue. One way or another, she would get him to talk.
Thanks for the reviews everyone! I hope this chapter is as pleasing as the last two.
Rabid Anime Gurl
