Author's Note: The title for this fic (and the inspiration for the fic itself) comes from the song lyrics of Venus from the artist H.I.M. This is just a short one-shot and my first attempt at a Sessh/older Rin pairing. For those of you reading my "Footprints in the Snow" mini-series, I hope to have a third installment of that soon. Please enjoy and review.
The Moon Kissed the Sun
By: Silver Spider
The festival of the blue moon was a rare and wonderful celebration of life. It was at the end of the harvesting season, when all the harvests were gathered and stored and the village people began preparation for the cooler months. For one night, the moon hung low and large in the sky, casting a cool, nearly unnatural blue light over the hills and planes. It would shine with in all its glory, but soon it would fade away. Such, thought the Lord of the Western Lands, was the young woman in his care.
Rin had never asked him for anything in the entire eight years that she'd been by his side, save perhaps to take a rest during their travels so that she could find food. Everything she had, from a few hair ornaments to new kimonos, he gave to her not because she asked but because he knew she would either need them or like them. Sometimes, on the rare occasions that they passed though a human village, he would notice her eyes linger on a fabric of silk or finely crafter piece of jewelry. The most she ever said was, "Pretty," then lowered her eyes and continued as if she hadn't saw it. The next morning, whatever had caught her eye always lay by her side.
When she casually mentioned that the human village that was the home of his hanyo half-brother and his friends currently resided was holding a festival in honor of the rare blue moon, he immediately knew that she wished to go. Of course, he also knew that she didn't expect him say that she may go, let alone propose to go with her. Rin was fully aware that he preferred minimal interaction with humans, and since Inuyasha was going to be there, the chances of them going were slim at best.
Still, she wouldn't have mentioned it if she didn't really want to go, and Sesshomaru thought that perhaps it was best to let her go if only so that she could get more accustomed to interacting with other humans. She wasn't a child anymore, he mused, and sooner rather than later, would have to take her place in human society. She would find a man, marry, have children and memories of her childhood as the ward of a great demon lord would slowly fade away into nothing more than a dream. Thus far, Rin never mentioned the possibility of leaving his side, but Sesshomaru knew it was only a matter of time. So, with the presence of needing to secure his southern borders, he declared that they would go.
Of course he refused to set foot in the village itself, claiming disinterest and dislike for its inhabitants. It was true, Sesshomaru did not appreciate the noise or the smell of incense from the temple and even the prospect of a possible altercation with Inuyasha didn't make the visit any more appealing. He settled on top of a hill that overlooked the village and watched as Rin ran down and was soon greeted by the raven-haired woman who, if memory served him, was his brother's mate. She smiled, saying something that he didn't catch, and Rin laughed, nodding in agreement. The woman then took her hand leading her further towards the village, but before she disappeared from his sight completely, the girl turned her head, soft brown eyes searching the hilltop for him. She wanted him to come with her, he knew, but he relented, never once moving from his place on the hill. Rin lowered her eyes, but her smile soon returned as she and Kagome moved past the village gates, and Sesshomaru was finally left alone to think.
He almost hadn't noticed the years pass by. In fact, without Rin, he probably wouldn't have noticed anything at all. Before his father died, Sesshomaru could have spent nearly a century without bothering to consult a calendar. Years or even decades meant little to the demon. But then everything changed. His father died, his brother was born, and suddenly Sesshomaru realized that he was no longer free to roam around the forests at will. He had political obligations and as much as he did not want to concern himself with Inuyasha, the quickly growing hanyo would have to be dealt with eventually. But it wasn't until a small then-mute girl stumbled into his life that he realized how precious and rather cruel time really was.
She'd changed nearly overnight in his eyes. One blink and her favorite checkered kimono no longer fit properly. Another, and instead of being entertained by simple children's stories she began to spend hours upon hours in his library, fascinated by the vast history of the world around her. Another, and she insisted on taking baths alone. Another, and a young man from a village they passed caught her eye and stained her cheeks the color of fresh sakura. If he allowed himself to blink once more, she would slip out of his reach forever.
Sesshomaru briefly wondered where that would leave him. Though he had spent much less time with her than without, he had to admit that in the past eight years, Rin had managed to change him tenfold more than the past centuries had. At first, when he looked at her, all he had seen was a battered child in need of someone to look after her. All she'd been to him was a mild amusement, a curiosity. But one does not risk life and limb for a curiosity, and he had done so on many occasions. Somehow over the years she became something more, something precious.
His feet seemed to move on their own accord as he made his way down to the village. keeping within the shadows. There was no need to scare the locals, though Sesshomaru could honestly care less what they thought. But he wasn't in the mood for a pointless altercation with humans or even his brother. He wasn't even sure what it was exactly that drew him to the main square where music and laughter filled the air, but when he reached it, Sesshomaru saw a make-shift bonfire with little tents scattered all around it. People were selling freshly cooked meats, baked goods, and all sorts of trinkets one would expect at a festival. Children tugged at the sleeves of their parents' kimonos, begging for treats while the adults only laughed, giving in to their wishes. On most days the children would not be indulged, but for such a rare festival, their parents were willing to make an exception.
Sesshomaru faded into the shadows of the crowd, making sure that no one saw him. Some couples were dancing around the bonfire while others stood on the edge of the crowd, cheering on the brave souls that attempted the dance. He saw his brother and the hanyo's mate standing by the fire, laughing as a pair of their friends – the monk and the demon slayer, he believed – spun around happily. For a moment, he saw Inuyasha's expression stiffen as the hanyo's eyes narrowed and he sniffed the air for some suspicious scent. Under normal circumstances, Sesshomaru had no doubt that his brother would be able to pick up his scent, even at a much larger distance. However, with so many other smells tainting the air, even Inuyasha's keen nose was bound to get confused. He waved it off, deciding it was merely paranoia, and went back to watching the dances.
At first the demon lord didn't see Rin anywhere amongst the crowd but when his eyes shifted to the dancing couples, he finally saw her. Rin positively glowed as the light from the fire danced on her autumn kimono whose light bronze fabric was sprinkled with golden leaves. She laughed and twirled, changing hands with many dance partners, most she probably didn't even know. It didn't matter much. They were all brought together by the spirit of the festival. At one point she even approached Inuyasha himself with the offer of a dance. The hanyo only scoffed, but his mate only laughed, giving him a gently nudge into the circle of dancers. Before he could argue, Rin grabbed his hand and the two were off in rather awkward, but apparently entertaining dance. Sesshomaru chuckled to himself; aside from proper fighting technique and political reasoning, not having grown up in their father's estate had deprived of any proper training in cultural elements as well.
The dance ended and partners changed. He now saw Rin taking the hand of a young human man who, for some reason, seemed all too familiar to Sesshomaru. He searched his mind until he came upon a memory many years old. This man – then merely a boy – leaning over Rin, who lay on the grass unconscious. There had been a sickle in his hand. A low, nearly inaudible growl rose in the demon's throat. He knew that since Naraku's defeat, the spell that had held the boy had broken, but didn't she remember what was done to her? Didn't it bother her that the same man she was dancing with was the one who held her prisoner and tried to take her life? Well, it may not have bothered her, but Sesshomaru was certainly not pleased with this development.
But a part of him realized that this was, in fact, inevitable. She was sixteen – well within the age when she was allowed to choose a mate and start a family. Soon she would leave him for the human world, because even if she never expressed any desire to go, it was only natural for her to want to get close to one of her own. Sesshomaru was surprised at how much the thought of her leaving disturbed him. He tried to picture his life before she came into it. Would he go back to wandering the forests with only Jaken as a companion? True, his routine hadn't changed much since taking in the girl, but something within him had. He'd come to expect certain things small things really. First it was bouquets of wild flowers that he never directly received but never ignored either. Then, as she got older, it was questions about their travels or the histories of the lands they passed. Rin was always a curious child, sometimes too curious for her own good. And while she was always respectful, she was not one of his mindless servants who spoke nothing but empty words of praise. She was willful. She was intelligent. She was... she was beautiful.
Once again he found his feet moving on their own as he emerged from the crowd into the light of the flames. There were murmurs among the humans, and he heard his brother growl, claws twitching to reach for Tetsusaiga, but from the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru saw the priestess who was Inuyasha's mate place her hand over his to stay his temper. The girl always did have a sixths sense of sorts, Sesshomaru mused. He was not surprised that she guessed why he was here.
The dancers stopped and chatter secede as all eyes feel on the demon lord who seemed to almost glide across the ground as if the dirt of the human village was too lowly for him to touch. Rin had let go of the young man's hand, who now stared at Sesshomaru in a mixture of bewilderment and fear, but the demon ignored him. He stopped a foot in front of his ward and waiting. Though she too was a bit surprised by his arrival, Rin bowed her head in a sign of respect. He returned the gesture with a slight nod of acceptance and held out his hand to her.
"I would have this dance," he said, voice low enough just for her to hear.
"Of course, my lord," she placed her hand in his and soon the music began once again, though this time they were the only two people in the dance, the rest of the village watching on in disbelief.
Their bodies moved as one, as if they had practiced the steps dozens of times, arms perfectly bent in an L shape in front of them, their right palms pressed tightly against one another's. Sesshomaru watched her closely for any sign of hesitation. Any other human would have been terrified to be in such close proximity to, let alone in physical contact with a demon, but Rin never showed a hint of fear. Her rich brown gaze looked with his honey golden one in complete trust and confidence. It made it all the more painful for him to remember that one day she would be gone like the beautiful yet short-lived blue moon. Absently, he began to massage the center of her palm with the pad of his thumb, and her hand relaxed against his.
"My lord?" her eyes rose to meet his in a questioning gaze.
And that was the truth, he suddenly realized. No matter how far she would go or what she would do in the human world, a part of her would always be his. His Rin.
"Yes," he whispered in agreement. "Yes, I am your lord."
Without hesitation, his head dipped forward and he captured her lips. In the back of his mind, he could hear audible gasps from the crowd, whither in surprise or disgust, but he hardly heard them. Rin drew in a sharp breath, slightly taken aback by his bold move, but he used his grip on her right hand to pull her closer, before wrapping the arm around her waist, his fingers dancing on the small of her back, and she began to tentatively respond. Oh, but she tasted so sweet, so pure, and most of all she was his, Sesshomaru thought triumphantly.
Yes, she was his, but what she didn't know – what he was barely dared admit to himself – was that he was also hers. Though she too would fade as quickly as the blue moon, she was not that. She was the sun, bright and vibrant, forever full of life. Because in truth, he was the moon, cold and eternally static with no light of his own. Any warmth, any light he had, came from her. She was his sun.