-1Disclaimer: Inuyasha and friends are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi. Nope, not mine.
A/N: I apologize to those who have been waiting so long for this chapter. I like to update often, but sometimes... you know. And special thanks to Winterzforgotten for her help. I wouldn't have even had this done by now without her encouragement.
Chapter 13
Last time:
Sesshomaru merely glanced down at her before settling his gaze firmly on the dark recess of the well. Kagome thought he look pretty eager to get back, well, about as much as a sculpture can look eager to be on display, but that was a pretty open display coming from the demon lord.
"You will keep your promise of silence or I will make certain you are unable to break it. Is this understood, miko?" he finally said. His words dropped like icy stones into a pool and sent chilling ripples of fear down Kagome's spine. He was already back to his old feudal attitude, that was for certain.
Forcing back those shivers, Kagome flashed him a brilliant smile and replied, "Of course. I'm a little smarter than you give me credit, Lord Sesshomaru."
He did not respond to her playful jab, his indifferent facade firmly in place. She shook her head at him and said, "After you."
The demon did not hesitate, but leapt gracefully into the well in a brilliant display of fluttering silk and white hair. Kagome let out an envious sigh, climbed awkwardly over the rim, and followed him into the familiar blue light.
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Inuyasha glanced down into the bone-eater's well for the- well, he had lost count after the hundredth time, but he was fairly sure it was somewhere in the vicinity of the thousands. His claws tapped into the grooves that had been worn into the old wood by his nervous vigil. All afternoon he had hovered near the well, gazing into the shaded depths or jumping into it in the random hope that it might allow him to pass. His brother's companions had questioned him about this at first, but had finally given up when simply grunted and jumped into a tree beyond the range of their inquiries.
After a while, Jaken had tried to push Rin's boisterous attention onto Inuyasha, but he had caught on quickly enough and convinced Rin that Jaken would be much more fun to torment with the help of a story Kagome had told him once. The girl had been chasing the toad for the past hour now wanting to play "The Frog Prince" with Jaken, convinced that if she gave him a kiss he would turn into a handsome youkai prince. Inuyasha had cringed at the thought of kissing the imp, but was all for it if it kept her from stringing those damn flowers into his own hair.
So lost in his thoughts, Inuyasha didn't notice that Rin had finally kissed her "prince" and been thoroughly disappointed.
"I'm sorry, Master Jaken, but it looks like you are not one of the handsome princes," she said in attempt to console him.
The poor toad just sputtered incoherently and ran off into the woods searching for leaves to scrub against his face where the "filthy human child" had touched him.
Inuyasha felt the little girl press against him as she stood on her tiptoes, placed her chin and hands on the well's rim, and looked down into it.
"What is so interesting about the well, Inuyasha? Are you thirsty?" she asked after apparently finding nothing inside to hold her own interest.
"No, brat, I'm not thirsty," Inuyasha spat as he stood up and stormed away from the well in anger.
Where the hell were they? If Sesshomaru even tried to lay a claw on Kagome, Inuyasha would make sure he survived those 500 years so he could be there to kick that bastard's ass. He violently kicked at a clump of white flowers as though it were said demon's ass. It didn't make him feel a bit better. His hands itched to draw Tetsusaiga and release some pent up anger.
This waiting was driving him insane. His pacing eventually led him back to the well and he glanced down into it's empty depth. He ignored Rin who had seated herself with her back to the well and was weaving flowers into another crown for her Lord Sesshomaru, and jumped up to the rim.
"What are you worried about?" the girl asked him.
Taken aback by her blunt question, Inuyasha twisted and looked down into her innocent brown eyes. "What do you mean 'worried'? I ain't worried about nothing."
She smiled broadly at him, then returned to her flower weaving. "I just know when people are worried. And you shouldn't be. Lord Sesshomaru will return. He always does."
"Hmph," Inuyasha grunted at her, and turned his scrutiny back into the well. He flattened his ears to his head and bared his fangs at the troublesome thing. Patience was not one of his strengths, and this situation had tested his to its limit. A growl rumbled in his chest as he made up his mind. He'd try one more time to see if the well would let him through. Surely, it would sense his concern for Kagome and cooperate.
He leapt inside and felt his heart leap into his chest when a familiar blue light appeared, only it appeared a lot sooner than it usually did. His eyes widened as the familiar scent of his brother, slightly masked by a very powerful aroma of flowers, filtered through his senses. A second later, the tall, white form appeared at the bottom directly beneath Inuyasha and looked up at him.
Before he could react, Inuyasha landed roughly against his brother's chest, getting scraped a little by the armor, and found himself awkwardly held in Sesshomaru's arm. Two pairs of golden eyes regarded one another for a moment.
Though the cold, bored expression never left his face, Sesshomaru said in an almost teasing voice, "Why, little brother, I had no idea you cared so deeply for me. I assumed you would prefer the arms of your wench."
Inuyasha just sat in his brother's arm and blinked dumbly at the demon. Why was he being so... friendly? And why the hell did he smell like flowers? And...
Inuyasha leaned into Sesshomaru, his nose twitching as he sniffed out a rather strange smell that came from his brother's hair which appeared to be damp on that side. He did not see the flash of utter confusion cloud his brother's eyes.
"Why the hell do you smell like a damn garden?" Inuyasha muttered as he tried to find the source of that scent in his brother's hair.
At that moment Kagome appeared beside Sesshomaru and her jaw dropped. "Inuyasha, what are you...?"
Inuyasha cut her off with a triumphant snort as he located a small, white object stuck in Sesshomaru's hair and jerked it forcefully until it came loose. His brother snarled as several silken strands broke free with it.
"And what is this?" Inuyasha asked holding it up for both to see. He sniffed at it and held it away from himself. "Uch, it smells girly."
Sesshomaru abruptly dropped the half demon and narrowed his eyes at the object. Kagome's face had suddenly turned a bright red and she snatched it from Inuyasha's hand.
"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome cried suddenly, then turned her beet red cheeks away from both demons and muttered something about men keeping out of women's business.
"I, too, miko, would like to know what that vile thing that attached itself to me is?" Sesshomaru questioned icily.
Inuyasha shot up as soon as the spell wore off and shouted, "What was that for, Kagome? And what is that thing?"
Kagome gave both demons a wide-eyed stare as her face tried to out shine Inuyasha's fire rat. She shifted from foot to foot and studied the well floor as though she were debating whether or not she could jump and pass back through again.
Inuyasha called her on it. "Oh no you don't! Don't even think of going back to your own time again."
She nearly growled at him then finally said, "It's a pad, okay."
"And what is the function of this 'pad', miko?" Sesshomaru asked.
Kagome turned even redder if that were possible, and she couldn't meet either pair of curious gold eyes. "Um- it- um- it is what women use to- um- when they- um- you know..."
Her words trailed off and she looked up at them again as though pleading for them to make the connection on their own.
Inuyasha stared at her in utter confusion and his brother's narrowed eyes confirmed that the older demon did not quite understand either. Kagome let out a sigh and stomped her foot.
"You know...! When a woman- once a month..."
Inuyasha scratched his head, and Sesshomaru smirked in understanding.
"No, I don't know. Once a month what? You're not a half demon," Inuyasha said, irritation coloring his voice.
Kagome glared at him, and had Inuyasha been a little wiser, he would have seen the danger her eyes threatened.
"And I had not thought you could be any more ignorant, little brother," Sesshomaru said. His calm voice and bored expression told of his satisfaction with the restored order of his world: he again understood something while the half-demon did not. "You travel with two females yet do not know of the monthly bleeding of their reproductive cycle? Pathetic."
Inuyasha just stared dumbly at Kagome, whose face flamed beneath his stare and she snapped out, "Ooooo! Sit boy!"
Inuyasha struggled to glare up from his forced encounter with the dirt, but Sesshomaru knelt over him with a shameless smirk on his face.
"That is now the third time, little brother, you have gotten sat over something I had done," the demon whispered so that only the hanyou's sensitive ears could pick it up.
"And just what were you doing with something like that in your-" but before the half-demon could finish, a young voice, shrill with excitement, cried, "Lord Sesshomaru!"
Sesshomaru looked up and saw a pair of sparkling brown eyes staring joyfully down at him over the lip of the well. His irritation with Inuyasha faded instantly and a softness only Rin would be able to read filled his eyes.
"Rin, step back from the edge," he ordered quietly. Rin's head vanished as the words, "Yes, Sesshomaru-sama" drifted down to them. He then leapt up and out of the well.
When he landed, Sesshomaru scanned the clearing for his retainer and dragon. He was a little surprised to find Rin near the well seeing as he had left her with Jaken a good distance away and on the far side of the human village. As though responding to a summons, the toad came stumbling out of the surrounding underbrush wiping a raw place on his green face and muttering something about princes and a stupid hanyou.
Smirking inwardly, Sesshomaru did not have to guess which one, though he was mildly curious as to how his company had come to be with his half brother. He wrinkled his nose slightly as Rin moved to his side. Jaken would also explain why his ward stank of Inuyasha. For some reason this stirred the sluggish beast of jealousy within him, the thought that his Rin had been in contact with another enough to carry their scent. He could not suppress a low growl, and determined that she would bathe at the first stream they came to.
"My- my lord!" the toad wailed as soon as he noticed Sesshomaru standing there. Sesshomaru fought the urge to grind his fangs as the eager servant ran towards, him tripped over his staff, and nearly fell again as he lifted himself and came running to grovel at his master's feet.
"My lord, I am so pleased you have returned. I was wondering what could have happened to delay- "
"Jaken," Sesshomaru barked out coldly. "Why is it that you and Rin are here when I left you with her a good distance away?"
Sesshomaru's sensitive ears caught Rin's quiet giggles and had to admit he felt an urge to at least smile as Jaken began to shake so much his staff was tapping the ground in rhythm with the fear. Unfortunately, his good mood died as the hanyou jumped out of the well with the wench in tow. He could smell his brother's irritation and felt his own rising to match.
"Hey, Sesshomaru! Can't you even count? That was only twice she sat me, not three times. And why do I smell you and Kagome's scent on one another?" Inuyasha demanded as soon as his feet hit the ground.
Damn, I suffered that 'shower' and those cats for nothing, Sesshomaru thought in anger, but said flatly, "I could ask the same of you, little brother. Why does your stench mask Rin's scent?"
"You bastard, if you knew how to take care of a human, I wouldn't have had to do it," Inuyasha growled.
"Again, I could say the same for you. And I left Rin under your protection, Jaken, yet you run to this half-breed to do your duties?"
"Lord Sesshomaru, please don't be mad at Master Jaken. He tried his best and saved me from the demons that attacked, but there were too many and he was badly injured. That was when Inuyasha came and rescued us and took us back to the village," Rin explained in her ever-cheerful voice.
Sesshomaru shifted his cold gaze between his retainer and his ward.
"Inuyasha," Kagome said suddenly. "Just let it go, okay. Sesshomaru didn't hurt me, so you should just let it go. And... look what I brought for you."
Sesshomaru turned at the miko's sing-song voice and blinked at the sight of his brother staring greedily at the package of Ramen the miko was showing him.
Inuyasha must have noticed Sesshomaru watching because he grunted loudly and turned his back on her, but not before he snatched the package from her hand. "And don't think I'll let you off easy just because Kagome's back safe and sound. What the hell did you think you were doing going after her? Why the hell would you care if she got hurt? She's just a human."
"Inuyasha, we helped him and he helped me. Please, just leave it at that and don't start trouble," Kagome told him.
"Like hell I will," Inuyasha spat back, never taking his eyes off Sesshomaru. "He can't even remember what happened, which is probably a good thing. If he did, he'd probably just kill us all to keep from ruining his reputation. We take care of his spoiled ass for a couple days and save his life, and he stalks off without so much as a thank you."
"Inuyasha! Watch your mouth; there are children here," Kagome chided and she moved closer to Rin.
"Inuyasha, I will speak with you alone," Sesshomaru stated suddenly as he turned his back to them again. He knew the hanyou would protest, but he needed to speak with his brother. Now that the miko had been dealt with, the unsolicited emotions his half-brother inspired must be taken care of as well.
"Keh," Inuyasha sniffed, but Kagome ran over and bent down beside Rin.
"Rin, let's leave them alone so they can talk for awhile, okay? Come with me, I have something for you. A gift," she told the little girl whose eyes widened with eagerness and joy.
However Rin turned first to her guardian and asked, "May I go with Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru."
He glanced down at her from the corner of his eye and said, "Do as you wish, Rin. I will come for you and Jaken shortly."
"Bu- bu- but my lord!" Jaken wailed at his master's insinuation. "Why must I go with that human wench? Allow me to teach this insolent wretch a lesson for interfering with you ward, m'lord."
Surprising even himself, Sesshomaru snapped, "Silence!" Reining in his temper, he continued, "You will take Ah Un and stay with Rin until I come for you. And you owe the half-breed your life, for had he not intervened and saved Rin's life, then yours would be forfeit. You should be thanking him that you are not tasting my poison now. Now, go."
Inuyasha and Kagome's jaws dropped at this unprecedented display from Sesshomaru. He knew they wondered at his sudden defense of his despised younger brother, yet try as he might, Sesshomaru could not even convince himself that he had not meant what he said before, what he was saying now. He bit back a growl and cursed them again for interfering with that mirror. If they had simply left him to his fate, he would not be here, being forced to examine emotions that should never have surfaced.
Rin was the first to break the uncomfortable silence, well, if Jaken's dumbfounded gasps didn't count. "You really brought me something, Kagome?"
The miko grabbed her hand and led her away. "Of course, Rin."
Sesshomaru waited until he saw that Jaken would follow his orders then he began to walk into the forest, in the direction of Goshinboku, the tree his brother had been pinned to for fifty years.
The hanyou had not moved, so Sesshomaru called out mockingly, "I was under the assumption that you could walk of your own volition, half-breed. I will not carry you. Come."
Sesshomaru did not look back or slow down, but he heard Inuyasha start after him then brush past him at a run muttering something about not following him around like a puppy. Sesshomaru fought back a smile, but could not keep the memories from surfacing from the depths of his mind.
Sesshomaru seemed to recover from his trauma very quickly indeed. He remained very close to Kagome. Each time a fearful memory of the icy river arose, her pleasant scent would remind him of her pulling him out to safety. He had not known who she was, but he knew she was a source of comfort and safety. But he sat staring in a cold way at everyone else, especially Inuyasha. His brother had confused him. He smelled so much like father, and even shared his silver hair, yet Sesshomaru had not realized who he was.
"He's been practicing that icy stare of his for a while, I see," the monk commented finally.
Sesshomaru glared at him and haughtily replied, "Who is this human that thinks it knows me? I demand to know why my person was removed from my father's side."
Desperately, Sesshomaru tried to look down at them, yet it was not quite possible for a four or five year old to pull that off against adults, human or otherwise. The monk, the demon slayer, and Kagome politely tried to hide their smiles, but Inuyasha simply burst out laughing. He stood and suddenly swooped down, lifting Sesshomaru to his face by the back of his neck as though he were a small puppy.
Sesshomaru's eyes widened with shock and fear, he struggled and failed to hide the fantastic show of emotion from playing across his face. Inuyasha smirked, put his nose next to Sesshomaru's and said, "I don't think you're in any position to be asking questions, pup, and the next time you try to talk back to me, I'll let you taste my claws. You'll be answering questions for us, understood, pup?"
The group winced, awaiting the certain fallout that followed someone disrespecting Lord Sesshomaru, but to their utter surprise, the demon's face shone momentarily with a respect and awe, and he reverently bowed his head and answered, "Yes, Inuyasha-sama."
Extremely satisfied with the sweet revenge he was getting on his "big" brother and pleased with his newfound dominance, Inuyasha returned him to his little feet and patted him on the head.
Sesshomaru stared wonderingly up at Inuyasha and whispered in a painfully audible voice, "Wow, he seems as strong and powerful as father. He even smells a lot like father, too."
Even now, Sesshomaru cringed as he heard his own words echoing in his head, not because he had said them, but because he meant them. He stopped behind Inuyasha who had halted in front Goshinboku awaiting his arrival. Irritation caused the hanyou's entire body to twitch, not just those unsightly ears. His hand rested on Tetsusaiga's hilt like a child clutching a favorite toy for reassurance.
"What do you want, Sesshomaru? You better talk quick if you don't want me slit your gut. And I want to know why you went after Kagome," Inuyasha snapped at him.
Sesshomaru used his demonic speed to move in behind Inuyasha and lifted him into the air by the scruff of the neck before he had even finished speaking. Knowing his brother would be too dense to make the connection, Sesshomaru said, "I don't think you're in any position to be asking questions, pup."
Unlike Sesshomaru had done when Inuyasha had held him in the same way, Inuyasha growled and slashed at him with his claws. Golden arcs of light cut the air where Sesshomaru had been standing. He watched the hanyou fall to the ground in a defensive crouch from several feet away.
Inuyasha gripped Tetsusaiga's hilt and glared up at him.
"I am not here to fight you. If I were, you would not be standing right now," Sesshomaru told him. His tone grew a little harsher as he continued. "As I said, I wish to speak with you, but first you must learn how to speak properly. If I ever hear you use such profane language around Rin again, I will cut out your tongue to prevent such errors."
"Feh, whatever," Inuyasha said, but he didn't relax.
Good, half-breed. I guess even you retain some knowledge from experience, Sesshomaru thought when he noted Inuyasha's wariness. "And you will tell me what transpired with Rin in my absence."
"Why don't you ask your toad, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha fired back with a smirk.
"Because I want an answer not a long, drawn out praise of my abilities," Sesshomaru told him, hoping to send the hanyou off balance with candor. There was no one else around to witness anyway, and Inuyasha would never admit to speaking passively with his enemy.
Sesshomaru smirked at the success of his ploy, as Inuyasha gaped at him then narrowed his eyes as though trying to figure out what Sesshomaru was plotting.
"Feh, you left her with that incompetent toad. If I hadn't heard her scream and gotten there in time, you'd be out a ward and a vassal. You'd still be out a vassal if Rin hadn't asked me to help him," Inuyasha started grudgingly. "Now, you answer me something. Why did you interfere and go after Kagome? And now that you know her secret, you better keep it, or I'll make sure your death is painful."
"Indeed, half-breed. I'm sure you'd like to think so," Sesshomaru told him. He turned his back to study the play of sunlight on the twitching leaves of the forest around them. "However my reasons for my actions are mine and I am under no obligation to reveal them to you."
The ring of steel being drawn alerted Sesshomaru to Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga. He felt the aura swirling powerfully around his father's magnificent fang and sighed. He flicked his wrist back and lashed his whip back to ensnare the blade. As he felt it catch, he gave a swift tug and hurled the sword into a nearby tree where it reverted back to its dormant state. He then recalled his whip.
Sesshomaru did not need to hear the hanyou's cry to know what attack was coming next. Easily, he dodged the claws, and broke his bored expression only to sneer at his brother's efforts.
"Are you that incapable of carrying on a conversation?" Sesshomaru taunted, though he was beginning to be annoyed.
"Are you unable to think up a good enough excuse for your actions?" Inuyasha snapped right back as he stormed over to retrieve Tetsusaiga and re-sheathed it after a moment's hesitation. "You don't understand what you did, and that's why you want to speak to me, huh?"
The half-demon gave Sesshomaru a smug smile as though daring Sesshomaru to take his bait. The demon remained expressionless, and replied, "I will tell you my reason once you have explained Rin's presence here to my satisfaction."
"Ha! If you're willing to bargain, this information must be very important to you," Inuyasha reasoned. "Kaede fed her and we hung out together. She fell asleep and had a nightmare that woke her." Sesshomaru began to feel uncomfortable beneath his brother's suddenly piercing gaze. The half-demon knew or suspected too much for his liking. "She was looking for you. Said she had a nightmare about when she died. Just what is that mortal to you, Sesshomaru? And don't give me some bullshit about honor or duty, because I know you used your Tenseiga on her. And stop clenching your fist already, I can smell the blood."
Sesshomaru blinked and opened his hand, not even realizing he had driven his claws into his palm. Damn that half-breed.
"Rin is none of your concern, half-breed," he snapped at him, irritated at how much Inuyasha had learned from the girl.
"And Kagome's not your concern. I told you about Rin, now you tell me why you jumped into that well," Inuyasha said.
Sesshomaru could not help but feel impressed, not to mention surprised, by how mature his brother was acting, for the moment at least. How had he lost control of this conversation? He would have to get it back.
"My honor. I am honor bound to save her life, as she saved mine. Father taught me honor, and mortal though she is, and as unnecessary as your aid may have been, I was in no position to reject it and thus find myself bound to repay this life-debt. But I do not expect you to understand such a concept, after all you know nothing about Father, you never even met him."
"Funny, you said I was powerful, reminded you of Father. I guess I must know something about honor then after all, huh?" Inuyasha said. "But all that is bull; you don't even remember what happened, Sesshomaru!"
"That is where you are wrong... I remember... now," Sesshomaru told him with a growl. He did not like sharing so much, even if no one was near enough to witness it.
"Feh, so that's why you called me here? You want to make sure I'll never tell about your second of weakness. Come to express your regrets..."
"I regret nothing I have said, ever," Sesshomaru stated harshly, trying to convince himself that he was lying so that the odd respect he had developed for his brother would disappear.
"Then you don't remember-"
"I remember everything, every word I said," Sesshomaru said, cutting his brother short. He turned and began to walk back towards the well, and towards Rin. His last words were whispered, but he knew the hanyou would hear them.
"And I regret none of them."
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Kagome led Rin down the path toward the village. She did not think Sesshomaru would be interested in eavesdropping on two mortals, but she wanted to make sure he wasn't able to, just in case. Rin skipped carelessly alongside her, humming a contented tune. Several crowns and garlands of flowers were draped over her arms and shoulders. Kagome reminded herself to ask about that.
Behind, they could still hear Jaken's grumbles over the steady thump of Ah Un's step. The imp remained a good distance apart from the humans, obviously displeased with his charge.
Kagome inhaled deeply, savoring the freshness of the feudal air, and found a comfortable seat at the foot of a large tree. Rin sank to her knees facing Kagome unable to hide her eagerness at being given a gift.
"Well, Rin, I hope Inuyasha's been treating you nicely," Kagome said as she removed several packets of ramen from inside her overstuffed backpack. Rin's gift was deeply buried, and the girl eyed each thing eagerly as it was moved.
"Yes, we played games, and he told me a good story about a frog prince. I kissed Jaken, but I don't think he was a prince. I think he was a little disappointed, too. He ran off after that," Rin told her.
Kagome looked up sharply to hear that Inuyasha had been so kind to Sesshomaru's ward. Both shocked and pleased, she would have to remember to make Inuyasha all the ramen he could eat tonight.
"So who are all those flowers for?" she asked just as she finally found what she had been searching for. "Aha!"
"Oh, these are for Lord Sesshomaru. Inuyasha suggested I use lots of pink and purple. He said those colors would look pretty on him. I though of the white ones to match his hair."
Kagome smiled, "Inuyasha said that, did he?" Why am I not surprised?
Rin nodded, rising up onto her knees in excitement as Kagome revealed a large bag of candy and the crayons, coloring book and the pack of cards she had chosen from the store.
"Wow! Is all that for me, Kagome?"
Kagome felt her smile broaden to match Rin's. "Yes, Rin, I thought you might like these. These cards are for playing games. Shippo's favorite is Go Fish."
"Oh, yes, Inuyasha taught me to play that one," Rin told her.
Well, that saves time. Kagome thought in surprise. She set down the cards and went on.
"You use these," she indicated the crayons, pulling one out to demonstrate, "to color in the book."
Rin took them reverently, too awed for words. She flipped through the coloring book as though its pages were made of rice paper. Kagome hid a smile at the girl's strange behavior. She could recall tearing through one of these in a day, scribbling on each of the pages without a care, when she was Rin's age.
"You won't hurt it, Rin," she told the girl with a laugh. "I can get you plenty more. You just come and see me whenever you need more."
Rin's eyes widened and she said, "But I don't have any money, and surely something like this would cost so much!"
Kagome laughed even harder and told her, "Don't you worry, you can afford it. I only want you to give me a picture or two, some samples of your work. That's the only fee I'll charge."
Rin nodded her head and promised solemnly, "I will, Kagome. I'll give you two for every book."
"Good. And don't you let Sesshomaru forget to bring you by when you need more," Kagome told her. "Oh, and speaking of Sesshomaru..."
She fought to keep a straight face. While Rin had examined her coloring book, Kagome had pulled the doll out and hidden it behind her back. Rin looked up at her curious as to what Kagome would say about Sesshomaru.
"Well, he picked out something for you, too."
"Lord Sesshomaru got something for me?" Rin asked, tilting her head to the side as she considered this.
"Mmmmhmm," Kagome affirmed. "He picked it out thinking of you." She thought back to the way he had stared at the doll in that toy store. He could deny it with his dying breath, but she knew then just how much he cared for Rin.
Rin frowned slightly then asked, "How come Lord Sesshomaru did not give it to me, then?"
Kagome started, not expecting Rin to ask something like that. "Well, um, he... well, he wanted me to give it to you since Inuyasha would be nearby. You know those two don't get along, and he didn't want to risk it getting damaged if they had started fighting."
That seemed to please Rin, and she smiled once again. Kagome brought the doll from behind her back and blinked in surprise as tears shone in the little girl's eyes. She clutched her gift to her chest unable to tear her gaze from the detailed face, soft hair and real silk kimono.
"Rin?" Kagome asked unsure of why the girl would cry.
Rin dried her eyes and smiled up at Kagome, "Oh, this is so beautiful."
"I think it reminded Sesshomaru of you," Kagome told her quietly. Kagome did not really mind at all when her gift was somewhat forgotten in favor of the doll. She quietly put the other things into a bag that Rin would be able to carry with her.
"What are you going to name her, Rin? You know she has to have a name," Kagome asked.
Rin looked up at her and then back at the doll, thinking for a minute before she said, "I'm going to name her Kagome. She is pretty like you and her smile reminds me of yours."
It was Kagome's turn to be stunned speechless. Before she could recover, a strong, yet familiar demonic aura filled the area and the demon lord himself emerged like a white light from the shadow of the forest. Rin noticed him as well and jumped up and ran over to him.
"Lord Sesshomaru, thank you so much for my gift. She is beautiful," Rin called out as she stumbled to a halt at her lord's feet.
He glanced down at her then over at Kagome who simply shrugged and winked at him. His only reaction was to blink, but he finally said, "It pleases you?"
Rin nodded furiously and hugged the doll tighter.
Sesshomaru inclined his head slightly then turned and began to walk slowly back into the forest. "Jaken, Rin, come, we are leaving."
Kagome handed Rin the bag with her gifts then waved at her as she followed the silent demon gliding through the forest.
Sesshomaru had not had any blood on him, but Kagome began to worry since Inuyasha had not yet come back from his "talk" with Sesshomaru. She half suspected her hanyou to be unconscious, mostly due to his own temper. As long as he felt obligated by a life debt, she knew Sesshomaru would not kill him.
With a deep sigh, Kagome repacked her own bag and started back towards the well and where she had last seen the brothers.