"Its not the same. They're very nice and welcoming but.. It isn't the same," The small girl bowed her head, raven hair spilling over her shoulders as her small frame began to shake slightly. The bitter scent of her tears invading my senses, the betrayal wafting off her in loud waves as she sits on a log.

"I will not insult you by asking why you are crying. I will ask however that you speak as free as you normally do; Do you think I am abandoning you?"

The small girl nods her head stiffly.

If I was a different demon, I would have sighed in frustration. Not with Rin, never with her. I am exasperated by this situation. The right and wrong of it all. To give Rin the life she deserves in spite of what I want is..crushing. She is mine, not in possession but in life. I need her to share herself to me fully without restraint or reserve. When the time comes and she is of age, we will wed and tie as one in every aspect of the word. There will be no doubts or hesitations. As she is now, she's too heavily influenced by me to make a sound decision, too young to really know the world- What it could offer to her when she opens fully to its blessings.

I sit down beside her and in an instant, her body melts into my fur. With slow measured movements I stroke her hair from root to shaft, "I have lived close to a millenia, nothing surprises me. It is a constant circle. My interest is not piqued by the woes of the world, It is not my concern". I paused briefly before continuing, "You, Rin, are an anomaly. Your entire existence interests me. This world, this never ending circle could burn and you will be of my only concern".

With that her head slowly rose. As she faced me- Face red, tear stricken and eyes of a wisdom too old for her age. Her voice is scratchy as she whispers out, "When we are apart, I feel lonely. I feel like when my family was taken".

It is as if I had been pierced in the stomach by a blade.

"There is no distance or obstacle that can separate us. I am but a mere call or whistle away", my assurance seemed to soothe her mood a bit.

"And you'll always be listening right? If I need you, you'll always come right?" Small hands pulling at my pant leg in desperation.

My hand rests atop hers, "Always".

For a brief moment she is still, breathing becoming less and less erratic. Abruptly she comes to a stand in front of me. At this angle we are eye level; Slowly she moves closer, each step padded in underlying confidence. When was the last time someone had ever dared to get this close to me? That was the audacity of Rin. Frail, human girl had unspoken privileges. An unquestioned power over me and here she stood, stalking me like prey.

What has come of me?

In the barest of a whisper, "Can..I?" Arms slowly rising at her sides in my direction. I did not answer verbally nor did I nod my head one way or another. I wanted her touch.. I needed it..but, I feared it I gave in to this simple comfort I would falter. Completely change my mind about this ridiculous notion of her temporarily living in this pathetic human village.

I froze.

She must have sensed my inner struggle and as usual, she took it upon herself to make the first move. With one more step, her body sunk slightly into mine as her arms rest over my shoulders. Her cheek against mine no longer wet with tears but cold as she leaned into me. "I will be good, I promise. Just don't forget to come back for me".

I wrapped my arm around her pulling her up as I came to a stand. A small sense of déjà vu as she is cradled to my chest, body still as her face is tucked into my neck.

"Lord Sesshomaru, do you believe in the red string of fate?"

I nodded slowly, stepping around a fallen tree as we walked back to the Inuyasha's village.

"Kagome told me a story about it, and it sounds.." I tried to peer down at her, only for her to turn further into my neck. "Do you think that could happen between a human and a demon too?" How childish and utterly confidant she sounded. Further reason for letting her mature amongst her own people.

"I am not sure Rin".

Arriving at the edge of the village, I knelt to the forest floor setting her on her feet. Swiping the tie that held her hair together, she pushes it into my hand. "Here. This is our string of fate.. Now I know that no matter what, we'll always be together", Smiling as she looks down at her feet. I look at the small, orange string in my palm. Hm. So like Rin. Instead of letting fate decide, she gifts me a promised fate herself.

I must have let a smile escape my façade, for her smile grew even larger as she looked at me.

"Thank you, Rin. I am honored". I placed the string, inside my kimono for safe keeping. A soft blush crept across her face and it made me wonder. Did she fully understand what her gesture meant, or what it implies? Could she see just as well as I that, we are destined to be? This was just a necessary, temporary stop to what would be the rest of our lives.

"Rin!" The priestess yelled across the distance waving toward our direction.

We said our goodbyes silently. She trotted a few feet towards the priestess before yelling loudly back at me, "Don't make me wait too long!" Before sprinting the rest of the way to the village.

Hm. The Audacity.