Title: In Rin's Name
Theme: Set #1 – Theme 31 – Cherry Tree
Genres: Gen. some allusions to moments of angst
Pairings Represented: Kagome/Sesshoumaru (platonic)
Word Count: 1393
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: The anime and manga, Inuyasha, belongs solely to Takahashi-sama. I merely write fanfiction for my own enjoyment at no profit.

Summary: A peaceful spring day becomes anything but for Kagome Higurashi when Sesshoumaru pays a visit on Rin's behalf.

In Rin's Name

She looked so peaceful lying beneath the cherry tree, sleeping. It disgusted him. Humans were far to trusting of the beauty that surrounded them, never looking for the danger standing in plain sight.

He felt so tired though not one muscle showed his weariness. It was a never ending battle to negotiate peace in his lands; youkai and humans alike constantly sought to undermine his dominance. His half-brother's escapades across the breadth of Japan had not helped him either because though Inuyasha's battle tactics were crude, they were also effective and allowed him some modicum of power and respect. Nor were matters helped when the miko sleeping in front of him lived up to expectations and shattered the Shikon no Tama. The dispersed shards proved an unwanted disturbance, lending false strength to the masses. The loss of his arm had not helped keep the foolish from challenging his claims, although, countless battles later, his superiority was now unquestionable save for one pesky hanyou named Naraku. A soft growl echoed in his throat that only the keenest ears could hear. He did not have time for this!

"Lord Sesshoumaru, do you think we should wake her?"

Rin, the one weakness he allowed himself, stared up adoringly at her master and savior. Though he would never require her to, she would willingly give up her life to protect the one who had brought her back from death, a promise of protection hidden in the gesture. He had not known at the time protecting her would require him to deal with the miko Higurashi. It was beneath him.

"Leave, I will handle this matter privately."

Rin smiled and bobbed her head, "Thank-you, Lord Sesshoumaru." Turning around, she grabbed Jaken by the robe and began to pull him into the field to play with the flowers, granting privacy to her chosen lord.

Now, how best to wake the infuriating female? She didn't deserve his patience, but he did not wish to demean his person by physically waking her. He had hoped she would wake at the sound of Jaken's squawking protests, but her senses were to dulled and trusting. Resigned to demeaning himself even further in this encounter, he swiftly nudged the woman, hard, in the side with his black-clad toe.

"Ouch!" mumbled Kagome as she rolled over onto her stomach, massaging her side with a hand.

In dismay, Sesshoumaru's senses told him she was drifting back into slumber. "Miko," he snapped, "I do not have the patience to wait for you to finish your nap!"

Kagome gasped and rolled away from Sesshoumaru's voice, banging painfully into the cherry tree causing blossoms to fall in a shower with the impact. Stars clouding her vision, she watched the cruel lord twitch his lips, nearly smiling at her expense. Terror infused her body and blocked the pain. Her death was nigh, it had to be for Sesshoumaru to be showing her emotion of any kind. Gulping, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for a blow that seemed ages in coming.

"I do not have time for your foolishness," he growled unmoving. "On Rin's behalf, I am here to discuss a matter of necessity with you."

Kagome pried one lid open followed by the other as she carefully averted her gaze behind Sesshoumaru to see Rin chasing Jaken around the meadow with a wreath of flowers clutched in her hands. "Oh," she mumbled gingerly picking her body off the ground to stand in front of the towering youkai lord.

"Precisely. If I had wished for your death, you be so already with your distinct lack of caution. I trust you will do better while my ward is in your care?"

Kagome blinked. Sleep must still be clouding her senses. Did Sesshoumaru just tell her she was going to take care of Rin? He must be joking. Inuyasha would never suffer anything of Sesshoumaru's to hang around with their group while they looked for jewel shards! Shaking her head, she figured she might as well ask. "What was that?"

Sesshoumaru frowned mentally. This was going to be more difficult then he thought. "Rin wishes to spend a week discussing various female things with you and the taijiya. She has started her woman's cycle, and though she hides it, wishes to talk with another female to understand her body's changes."

Kagome's eyes drifted back to Rin now playing keep-away with Jaken's staff of heads. "Isn't she a little young?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "By Rin's reckoning, she was eight when we first met four years ago. That would make her twelve, possibly thirteen, now. She is young for her age to be considered a woman by your standards, but it is not unheard of."

"So," Kagome drawled, "you want me to take care of her for the period of one week and at the end of that time she'll just go back to wandering around with you?"

"Yes," he said succinctly, glad she was finally getting the drift.

"Why should I?" Kagome's face paled as soon as the words came out of her mouth. Throwing up her hands least he decide she was worth killing regardless of Rin's desires, she shouted, "Wait! I'll talk to Rin, but I don't know how Inuyasha will take having another person to watch over in our group."

"Jaken will accompany you to see to her well-fare. If he fails, I'll personally see that his soul is sent to hell."

Kagome shivered at the pleasure inflecting his voice. She would never understand Inuyasha's half-brother. "Okay, but that still doesn't help me convince Inuyasha to let them tag along."

Sesshoumaru stared at the flustered miko. He really did have better things to do. Why couldn't she figure it out for herself? "Very well. I will make a deal with the hanyou." Eyes flicking to the cherry blossoms littering the ground, he smiled again, a bare twitch of his lips. "Every year, until Naraku is defeated, I shall ally myself in the manner of your choosing from the first bloom of the cherry blossoms found in my domain until the last petal falls. It is a fitting exchange for Rin's peace of mind."

Kagome chewed her lip. Could she really trust him? It would work though. The cherry blossoms lasted at best a few days. It would be all either one could stand of the other's aid. "You'll help us defeat Naraku when the time comes?"

Sesshoumaru nodded his head. "If you encounter him during the cherry blossom season."

Kagome nearly rolled her eyes. "And what if I'd prefer that this truce did not exist except for the sole purpose of defeating Naraku at any time?"

Sesshoumaru frowned. He did not want to spend that much time tailing his half-brother. He vastly preferred searching for Naraku on his own in order to defeat him and cement his superiority. "If we find Naraku at the same time, then I will allow Inuyasha and the others in your group the honor of fighting beside me."

Kagome sighed. 'I guess that's as good as it's going to get.' Looking up at Sesshoumaru, squinting against the moving sun, Kagome nodded her acceptance. "Very well, I guess we have a deal."

"Then I will leave you to inform Rin that I will see her in seven days time." He turned and began to walk off beneath the cherry trees. Pausing, his voice carried on the wind back to Kagome. "I do hope you'll forgive my lack of care should you or your friends meet your demise before the final encounter with Naraku. I will not postpone my desire for the Tetsusaiga between the cherry blossom seasons."

"What!" screeched Kagome. She thought she was making progress with the two brothers.

"I look forward to your death, miko. Your death, and the death of Inuyasha. You have both caused me enough trouble."

Kagome fumed as she watched Sesshoumaru disappear into the forest. It just wasn't fair. She felt used, betrayed, and she wasn't getting paid for having to put up with two insufferable inuyoukai. Shoulders slumping, she turned back to the two kids she was babysitting for a week. Groaning, she realized she was in over her head. Rin had Jaken in a headlock, preventing the squealing toad from rushing after his master. Apparently, she had been in on the deal the whole time.