"I was lost and now I am found. With you I am made new..." -Onigumos reincarnation to his wife, Yuka, 2010
Sesshomaru tried, in vain, to block out Rin's voice. He conjured up a red and white kimono that was before him in one second, and on her naked body the next. He flew higher.
Ah-un and Jaken remained with Rin to protect her should any harm come her way while he was gone. And they would protect her or encounter his wrath. He would relish the act. He may not have been told how the men looked, but he could smell all four of them. Most of their scents surrounded Rin, filled her hair and sullied her skin. Even their blood was somehow mixed in with her own, as if she fought them off, long and hard.
Good.
But gods. Rin. His precious Rin had been ruined. Not by them all, thank God, though that small tidbit of information didn't provide him with any sort of consolation. He could only smell one man's passion, but that was enough to make him want to roar into the heavens and spit fire.
And it was all his fault. He shouldn't have left her behind. Not Rin. She was strong, perhaps the strongest woman he had ever known, but she was still human—damn it—and he shouldn't have left her alone.
Those fools. He was going to murder each and every one of them. Slowly. Mercilessly. No one hurt Rin and came out alive, if he had any say. She was his. After all, she chose him two years ago—not a human.
When Rin was eight years old, he took her in to his half brother's village. She lived with an old priestess named Kaede. The woman treated Rin like a daughter; housing and loving her like her own. And Kagome, his half brother's wife, thought of her as a sister.
Sesshomaru brought her into the village because she belonged there. At least, at that age she did. She was too young to be with a dangerous being like him. He'd almost lost her a few months before that, in hell, and he couldn't let that happen again.
Losing Rin would be his own hell.
Oh, Sesshomaru was beyond furious. So much so, he could not conceal his anger and, this more, his guilt. He didn't want to. It burned inside of him, coursing through his veins, causing him to physically ache. If anyone approached, he wanted them to know he would kill all who came between him and Rin. Only he could sever his ties with her.
Finally, as grief consumed him, just as it did when he thought he lost her twelve years ago, he roared up at the morning sky, flying higher and higher into the heavens, soaring further away from Rin's cries.
After Rin had turned eighteen, he'd returned to her, from a short leave of absence, and walked into the hut she was eating supper in with Inuyasha, Kaede, Kagome and her twin sons, Tamaki and Kyo. They had looked up at him, bewildered, but not Rin. She'd jumped, clumsily dropping her bowl onto the floor and greeted Sesshomaru with a smile that wobbled.
Still, he marveled at the sight of her. Rin had grown to become a beautiful young lady. He knew she would. He saw it in her when they were first introduced, even though she had bruises on her face. Her long brown hair, always reaching her waist, felt as soft as the smoothest rabbit-demon he'd ever encountered. Her body, though slightly lean and petite at eighteen, radiated womanly power that would soon challenge and ignite a fire in him so bright, it would never extinguish. And her pink lips... Those beautiful lips effected him when she was a child, for whenever she spoke, surely his heartstrings would be touched—but as a woman, they did things to him; that which he could not yet describe.
His Rin didn't run to hug him when she saw him. Instead, she slowly walked toward him with the same bright smile that made any dark day brighter in his eyes, and bowed. He nodded his head in acknowledgment and inquired if she would step outside.
Together, they walked a short distance, where the others would not be able to hear anything he said.
He then told her, "Rin, it is time."
His voice was devoid of any emotion, as usual, but inside, his blood was boiling, turning into lava. Rin was a beautiful girl—that was one of the reasons he bothered to take her in. By the look in her eyes, he foresaw the woman she'd become. What he didn't expect was absolute perfection. Maybe not for other men, or even demons, but to Sesshomaru, she was an angel. Something bright and unique.
She should have disgusted him since all of humanity was revolting, and yet, she did not. A peculiar thing. She drew him in like a fish on a hook and she didn't even know it.
At that moment, she looked at him bewildered.
"You're of age now to choose who you wish to stay with. Kaede or... Me."
Rin's eyes widened and he knew precisely why this occurred. He had ended the sentence with a pause, displaying a slip of confidence. He could look down at demons and make them fall to their knees with just a glance, but this was not so with Rin. He had hesitated because he couldn't help himself. If Rin had not chosen him, he didn't know what he'd do. And for that small moment, he'd felt beyond nervous, beyond anxious.
But choose him, she did. In an instant.
She smiled, the image mesmerizing, and then laughed gaily. "Truly, I can be with you now, Lord Sesshomaru?"
He'd slightly nodded his head, staggered by her exuberance.
She jumped. "Yes! Let me pack a few things. Would that be alright?"
He said nothing, which to her meant an assent. He waited for her to get ready. It took about five minutes to pack all essentials and about an hour to say goodbye to Lady Kaede and Kagome. The women and children had cried great guffaws in front of him. His half-brother did not. Inuyasha had only looked at Sesshomaru with a strangely annoying smirk. Sesshomaru had arched a brow, daring him to say a word. Just one. The hanyou chose not to further irk his elder with a reply, but his smile grew.
Sesshomaru wanted to rip his stupid ears off. His lips, too. He refrained from doing so only because Rin inexplicably liked Inuyasha.
When they reached Ah-Un and Jaken that same day, he'd told her what was going to happen from then on. She would be trained to fight for herself against demons and men. Especially men. And she had to find her own food because he and Ah-Un did not eat what humans consumed.
What he didn't tell her was that now that she chose him, she was his. He vowed at the time to find some way to make her see that she was it for him. When a dog demon from his family imprinted with another being, whether it be human or demon, it was for life. His life would be hers and hers would be his.
It was taking longer than he wished and he knew it was his fault. He didn't know how to show his feelings without looking weak. And no one would make Sesshomaru look weak. Not even Rin. He cared for her, yes, but he still had his pride to uphold and it demanded that he never become subjugated. It forced him to look emotionless so that no one would question him, and all would bestow upon him the respect he was due.
Yet he felt so much for the woman. More than he'd ever felt for anyone, and now... Now she was hurt. And he needed to avenge her. Yes, that is exactly what he needed to do. He couldn't go to her until he killed those men because she deserved her retribution. He wouldn't go to her—not yet. No matter how loud she bawled. No matter how hard she cried, or screamed his name alone. No matter how many heart-shattering tears fell from her gorgeous brown eyes. No matter—
He relented. Even when he was far away from Rin's voice, he felt her misery from being left behind with Jaken, and her cries echoed through his mind. He changed direction and flew down to earth, morphing back to his original form. After the clouds came out of view, he saw Rin on the ground, covering her face with her hands. Jaken knelt beside her, looking helpless and worried, until he saw Sesshomaru come to surface.
He leapt up and shrilled, "Milord!"
Sesshomaru glared, then bent down beside Rin and touched her shoulder.
"Rin," he said softly.
She stiffened, but slowly lifted her head to look at him. His breath hitched. Tears were pouring down her face. Pain was etched all over it.
"Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered brokenly.
He sat on the grass and carefully lifted Rin's body so her head would rest on his lap. "I am here, Rin. So you must stop this crying." It was an order. He hated Rin's tears. They didn't belong on her cheeks. They never should've been freed from their precipice in the first place.
She nodded on his lap.
"Stay," she rasped.
"I will, but—"
"Please," she begged. His insides twisted.
"I am here. Do not worry." She sounded so afraid. So shattered. He clenched his teeth and saw red. After Rin healed and was able to go to the village with Kagome for a few days, he was going to find those bastards and-
"Stay," she repeated as if she knew where his thoughts were leading.
She closed her eyes.
Rin's long black hair was splayed on his thighs and her head was right on top of his groin, a position which suddenly elicited images of sensual poses which neither he nor Rin had ever experienced. He bit his tongue and tasted blood. What an asinine thing to think of. Rin needed comfort. But what could he do? He'd never comforted anyone in his existence; not even when Rin was revived after her trip to hell. He just set off to find Naraku again. But now—
He couldn't be so aloof. He had to do something for her. So slowly but surely he rested his hand on her head, and gently caressed it. He felt her freeze, but continued anyway, reveling in the feel of the soft silk between his fingers.
"Does this hurt you?"
"N-no," she whispered, her eyes still shut.
With each caress, he grew comfortable, until he realized that he wanted to do more for her. So much more. He inspected at her body and made sure she was breathing fine for her condition.
He'd never done what he was about to do for anyone. But for Rin...
Sesshomaru lowered his head, pressed his lips onto her forehead and licked it.
Rin's eyes shot open when she felt Sesshomaru's tongue on her brow. It was warm but slick, and with each stroke, a heated sensation followed, engulfing the area. She looked into his eyes and noticed they were closed, but there was a slight tinge of color on his cheeks. She frowned and uttered his name.
He lifted his hand and placed a gentle finger to her mouth. "Let me finish."
"But what are you—"
"My saliva has healing qualities. I am trying to heal your wounds. Stay still and let me finish."
"But—"
His eyes opened and he narrowed them. "Stay. Still."
She closed her eyes and let him continue with his ministrations.
Sesshomaru traveled down her right cheek and then moved to the left. It caused a shiver to run down her back. Her breathing labored and her heart was palpitating, warming every corner of her body. She could not believe Sesshomaru was doing this. She tried to remember if she'd ever seen him do this for someone else, and immediately got a headache.
"Rin," he said. He felt the tension and willed her to relax. "Calm yourself."
"Yes, milord."
"This should tell you that you must stop thinking."
"Milord, that's impossible."
"It is possible when you know it is giving you a migraine."
He was right, of course. But still, it wasn't really feasible for a human to clear their mind, what with him licking her. At that moment, she could feel her swollen eyes revert to normal, and finally she could see things more clearly.
He hovered above her, his white hair falling to her cheeks. She felt breathless so close to his nearness, and swallowed thickly, hearing his tongue move along her sore flesh.
"W-why are you doing this, Lord Sesshomaru?" she whispered, now beyond overwhelmed by what was happening.
He was quiet for a few seconds, continuing his actions. He then pulled back and said, "You need to heal so we can locate those men who hurt you. They will die for what they have done. We shall seek your revenge together."
With a nod, she remained quiet, but she couldn't stop thinking about what he was doing. It felt so good. He lifted his hand and caressed her thigh. Rin jumped, but he pushed her down and told her to stay still again. He knew what he was doing. He always did.
Sesshomaru felt rather strange. He couldn't rightly describe it. With each second he cleaned Rin's wounds, he felt an even stronger pull towards her. He was only supposed to clean the blood, but he couldn't stop himself. After taking in one taste of Rin's skin, he wanted more. He didn't just want to heal her; he wanted to consume her. Beyond the crimson, she tasted so good, like cherry blossoms and grass. Like nature. And when he was done cleaning her, he wanted to… He wanted…
What the hell did he want? He never felt like this before. He could feel something in his loins moving and worked to suppress it, yet the more he fought, the stronger it pulsated through him, engulfing him so much he had to stop his tongue from its sensuous climb, and ponder what it was.
This had to be a symptom of his race. Dog demon's often enjoyed licking their meals, but Sesshomaru had never given in to such a debased nature before. 'Twas simply unnecessary on his part, as well as Inuyasha, for they were of a more royal ilk. So was this something else? He thought of his half brother and pondered if he had ever witnessed him go through this.
The marriage between the half breed and his priestess was a scandal none could rival for decades. The affection between the two was apparent and quite literally appalling, where Sesshomaru was concerned. The half breed could not keep his hands off of his woman, lusting after her incessantly.
With this in mind, Sesshomaru questioned: was what he was feeling currently the same thing Inuyasha felt every time he was with Kagome? Was this all-consuming sensation running through his body desire?
How disgusting. His self control rivaled deities in the past. Where in the hell was it?