isclaimer: I do not own the following characters I've used in this fanfiction! That is the almighty job of Rumiko Takahashi-sensei!
Warning(s): None yet but I will warn when sexual relations come into play in later chapters.
Summary: Sesshoumaru is ill, possibly dying, and poor Rin is in search of a way to cure her master's sudden illness. Going against Jaken's orders, the young girl seeks out the one person she thinks might be able to heal him, but can a certain miko cure a sick dog demon without falling head over heals for him first? SessxKag
"Hold Me Closer"
Chapter 2
Written by: UnspokenDreams
A trail of blood now running down at the side of her face, she closed her eyes tightly, fear taking her as prisoner and not letting go any time soon as all she could think of was no one else but her dear Sesshoumaru. A sudden cry caused her eyes to snap open.
"WIND SCAR!"
Within her next blink, Rin found that the demon who had once been before her was now lying in a heap of organs and body scraps, the girl inching away from the scene in horror. Upon doing this she connected with something solid. Looking upwards, as she was seated on the ground, the girl met with a pair of narrowed amber eyes. She couldn't believe it. It was indeed him.
"Hey...you're the kid who my stupid brother hangs around," Inuyasha observed, sheathing his sword and kneeling down to her level. This was strange. Sesshoumaru's scent was no where but on her clothes. Usually the lord of the Western lands was always nearby when this child was seen, if not nearby then at her side. Speechless at seeing the half demon, Rin immediately clung to him, Inuyasha's eyes widening immensely.
"Oh please, oh please! You must come and help!" She cried, tears quite apparent in her optics. "Lord Sesshoumaru is very sick!"
Raising a brow and deattaching himself from her grasp, Inuyasha was soon joined by the rest of his group, all wide-eyed when coming across the small girl who faced them all. A teenage girl dressed in a Japanese High School uniform was the first to speak. "Is that...?" her voice trailed off as Inuyasha gave a nod, Rin's eyes averting to Kagome as to where they stood for a few seconds.
"She says Sesshoumaru's sick or something and wants me to help...pssh yea right," The dog-eared boy muttered, crossing his arms across his chest and looking away, Rin reaching out and grabbing his draped sleeve.
"Oh but please! You have too!" The need in her eyes was self-evident, her voice quivering and meek. At noticing the wound that had opened on Rin's forehead, above her left eyebrow, Kagome approached the small girl and spoke in a kind tone.
"How about we clean that cut up first and then talk," She had suggested, Rin shyly and naturally blushing at this. She remembered this girl from previous engagements and her wound really was stinging a bit. With but a nod she took Kagome's hand that had extended to her, Inuyasha not believing what he was seeing. Was he really taking in his brother's brat just like that! The thought continued to eat at him as he and the others walked into a local clearing, Kagome reaching into her backpack and pulling out a disinfectant that would surely clean the girl's small gash. "Now, this might sting a bit but I promise that it will feel better in a little while okay?" Kagome's voice was soft, motherly, creating a feeling of tranquility within Rin as she nodded towards Kagome's explanation.
"So, Sesshoumaru is ill now?" asked the demon slayer of the group, seating herself next to Kagome as she began to apply the ointment onto Rin. The girl winced as the medicine indeed stung a bit but none the less looked to Sango.
"Yes. He's in pain. I've never seen him like this," She said sadly as the reincarnated miko applied a band-aid as to where the open cut had been.
"There you go. Good as new," Kagome smiled softly as Rin felt the strange object with her fingers.
"This is strange Inuyasha. Our last encounter with this child left to an unplanned meeting with your brother. Perhaps this is a trick of some sort?" Miroku spoke in private with Inuyasha not too far away from as to where the girls sat. Inuyasha stood silent, analyzing the monk's words and knowing from their previous confrontation with the dog demon had been nothing but friendly.
"Beat's the hell outa me. All I know is she ain't stayin'. Once Kagome fixes her up we're leaving."
"It was your idea, after all, to come to the rescue was it not?" Miroku teased as Inuyasha felt his annoyance level rise immensely.
"It wasn't her I smelt it was Sesshoumaru! Is it my fault she smells like him!" Inuyasha fought back, Miroku trying to hide an amused smile.
"You're lucky we happened to be in the area Rin. That demon might have really hurt you," Kagome told the girl as she looked away, a small sigh escaping from her lips.
"I know, I'm sorry. I was just so worried about Lord Sesshoumaru..." Her eyes filled with tears once more, "If anything happens to him...I just...I don't want to be alone again!" Kagome's expression melted into a sincere gaze as she took the girl in her arms, Rin crying into her uniform shirt.
"He must mean a lot to you," Sango added in as Rin looked to her and nodded, brushing her tears aside with her small hand.
"Mmm-hmm. Lord Sesshoumaru has done so much for me. I thought it was time for me to return the favor," She said softly as Kagome and Sango exchanged glances, both falling prey to the innocence of the child before them. It was truly refreshing to hear. Moments later, Inuyasha walked back into the scene, tapping his foot upon the grassy earth.
"She's fine now Kagome, let's go." He stated impatiently as Rin's gaze now fell to the half demon.
"You're not going to help Lord Sesshoumaru?" She inquired, her grasp on Kagome's shirt tightening.
"Me help him! You must be kidding! Do you know how many times he's tried to kill me and Kagome and just about everyone else! And now you want me help him? You've got another thing coming!" Inuyasha said a tad harshly then intended, Rin flinching at the words of bitter truth. Kagome's hold on the girl strengthened.
"Inuyasha! How can you be so mean? She's just a little girl who wants to help her, um," Kagome paused as she searched for the right word. "Who wants to help her friend!"
"Friend!" Inuyasha fought back, Sango and Miroku watching with slightly widened eyes, "Sesshoumaru is anything but a friend to anyone! There is no way I'm stepping one foot next to that bastard!"
"Well if you won't Inuyasha, then I will!"
Silence took over as Kagome processed what she had just blurted out, not evening thinking when she had done so. It was too late. The damage had already been done as Rin looked to Kagome, excitement shining within her youthful eyes. "You will! Oh thank you, thank you so much!" She cried, her arms wrapping around Kagome as the teenage girl remained frozen.
Inuyasha gaped at her reply, not believing what his dog-like ears had heard. Kagome! Help HIS brother! This was unbelievable and not going to happen under his watch! "You're out of your mind Kagome! You could be killed! Who know what that monster can do to you!"
"Lord Sesshoumaru is not a monster," Rin interjected, "He's my friend and I want to help him."
Tapping Sango lightly on the shoulder, Miroku reached out his hand. "Perhaps we should leave this discussion. I'm sure Lady Kaede and Shippo are awaiting our return at the village." Sango nodded as she accepted his hand, standing and beginning to walk out of the area, Inuyasha and the others not even realizing this.
"Well you're not going and that's final!" Inuyasha shouted, arms crossing and turning his back upon on the two.
"SIT BOY!"
THUD
Rin watched as the half demon was sent crashing into the ground, hiding a giggle as she placed a hand to her mouth. Kagome arose from her kneeling position, gazing at Inuyasha who was still imbedded into the ground. "Inuyasha I'm going. I know that you and Sesshoumaru have your differences but please try and put them aside for now. Rin risked a lot to find us, lucky for her us being in the area, but still. If you won't help him then I will. Just give me...Four days. Four days is all I ask okay? I promise I won't let anything happen to me and," Kagome glanced towards Rin and smiled, "Rin will protect me. Right?" Rin nodded and giggled a bit, Inuyasha arising off of the ground slowly. Releasing a large sigh, the silver-haired boy allowed his shoulders to slump in defeat. He had been done this road before and his options were pretty much limited. On one hand he could let Kagome go and tend to Sesshoumaru, Kagome getting her way but also not being as safe as he'd want. Or he could keep her from going, Kagome probably leaving to go anyway. Not much of a choice, or so he thought. Rin looked back and forth from the two as if awaiting an answer of some sort. Without saying a word, Inuyasha turned, lowering himself a bit.
"Get on," he said dully, Kagome taking the hint and climbing aboard his back.
"C'mon Rin, just hold onto my back," The teenager spoke towards the girl who did as she was told, Inuyasha not minding the extra weight as he took off with a great leap.
XxXxX
"This is as far as I'll take you..." Inuyasha mumbled, allowing both Kagome and Rin to dismount from his back and onto the ground. Kagome smiled towards the half demon who looked quite unpleased with the situation.
"Thank you so much Inuyasha. I promise I'll be okay," she told him softly, raising her hand to rest against his cheek.
"Four days. You have four days before I'll come and get you," He replied as he leant slightly into her touch.
Rin tugged impatiently onto Kagome's skirt, "Kagome hurry we have to go!" Kagome gave one last look to Inuyasha before beginning to walk into the small section of bushes that separated them from as to where Sesshoumaru was. Running the rest of the way, Rin came to find her master directly where she had left him last, Jaken nearly fainting when seeing the child.
"There you are you wretched girl! Where have you been! Do you realize the danger you could have been in!" the servant demon ranted as he nearly bopped Rin one with his staff.
"I'm fine master Jaken and I brought someone to help Lord Sesshoumaru!" She beamed as she looked to Kagome, who in fact, had halted a few feet away, her brown eyes glued onto the dog demon that rested beneath the tree. Never had she seen Sesshoumaru appear so pale, his demon markings almost seeming to fade from his skin. Beads of sweat were plastered to his forehead as well as some pieces of his silver mane. The ever powerful and stoic Sesshoumaru, reduced to a mortal's status in his poor health.
He could smell something...something foul that burned the insides of his nostrils as his sealed optics flickered to an open state. He had been correct. It was indeed her. Kagome suddenly felt her heartbeat increase intensely as Sesshoumaru was now awake and gazing straight to her with piercing golden optics.
-To Be Continued-
Author's Note: Mwahahaha. I truly am evil. Ending it at such a cliffhangerish part! Be sure to read the next chapter that will, in fact, be posted within the next day or two considering I have a lot of free time to use. Once again, I have gotten a new computer and have not yet installed the MS Word program yet. Please try and ignore any spelling or grammatical errors there might be! How will Sesshoumaru react towards Kagome? Think you know the answer? Stay alert for the next chapter! Sincerely, G-chan.