I do not own Inuyasha

Ch. 9

Sesshomaru entered the ballroom the next morning.

He spotted Rin by the chairs against the far wall hanging up garment bags.

She turned around and smiled upon seeing him approach.

"Hi Sesshomaru. Ready to discuss wardrobe?" she said in greeting. Sesshomaru took a deep breath and nodded his head yes.

"Okay for the first garment is just the basic tux. I forgot to ask you your size so I kind of guessed. I will be wearing a purple floor length dress. For the rumba and tango…"

And on she went, unzipping the clothing bags to show him and to try on. He guessing his size was near spot on.

After Rin was satisfied with everything, the rest of the day she kept at a light pace. She reviewed the waltz and rumba.

During the day, even though she kept everything in a business setting, she couldn't help but feel how much she missed Sesshomaru. Being just two days away from him was excruciating.

Sesshomaru must of felt it because after they finished the rumba routine, he brought her up and just held her. She sighed in his arms and hugged him.

Sesshomaru then began the sway them back and forth in an almost lazy waltz, only doing the most simplest of steps.

Rin enjoyed it very much. She enjoyed it while she could because the next day they would start the tango.

Sesshomaru lifted his head to look at the door. He had sensed someone standing there. It was Silas.

Sesshomaru remembered the conversation he had with him the day before and turned his head and stuck his nose back into Rin's hair to breath in her scent.

He slowed them down to a halt and parted ever so slightly for her to notice her uncle in the doorway.

"Is is that time?" Rin asked to no one in particular looking at her watch. It read 5 o'clock.

"I will see you tomorrow Rin," Sesshomaru said stepping further back, not really wanting to in the process, but Rin did look like she was stressed and in lack of sleep.

"See you tomorrow Sesshomaru," Rin said and gathered her things with the help of her uncle and left.

When they exited the doorway Sesshomaru turned to take his dance shoes off and left himself.

XOXO

The next day Rin arrived at the ballroom fifteen minutes early. Dressed in a tank top, skirt with four points to give it a staggered look, black leggings and tennis shoes. She would put on her heals when Sesshomaru arrived.

Rin took her shoes off and took a moment for herself. With a song in her head she began to dance. Not ballroom, hot ballet, but a combination of the two.

Her steps random, she spun and twisted about, moving to the sound of her own heartbeat. A couple of spins later did she notice Sesshomaru standing in the door leaning on the frame, watching.

Rin stopped slightly embarrassed and just stood there for his inspection.

Sesshomaru came off the frame then and walked towards her.

"That was beautiful Rin. I thought you didn't do ballet anymore?" he questioned.

"I don't but some old dance steps don't die hard. I still do the excercises occasionally," Rin responded with a shrug of her shoulders.

XOXO

It was hard.

It was so hard that Sesshomaru couldn't stand it. Sesshomaru was so used to everything coming easy for him. The tango had a fluidity to it that mixed with as many steps Rin and Kohaku put into their routine, put him through is paces. Rin herself put him through his paces. Not many people could achieve that when it came to him.

With everything Rin was putting him through, his previous frustration started to come back. He tried his best to not let it show, but damn it.

Sesshomaru hated to start to admit it, but he started to hate dancing. He didn't let it show though. Everything he was doing was for Rin, his mate. He was doing it for her.

Rin though was not fooled. Rin was very observant and with a demon as stoic as Sesshomaru, it was no mean feat.

It was a full week into the routine and they had yet to perfect it. Rin tried everything to make sure Sesshomaru wouldn't be as frustrated as he seemed to be.

It also didn't help that her ankle was starting to act up. In one of the moves they were doing, Rin rolled her ankle mildly.

She fell.

Sesshomaru took it personally. He kept on blaming himself for her injury when it truly wasn't.

The tempers and frustration were beginning to escalate. It threatened to over boil until one day it finally did.

XOXO

"Again," Rin said.

Sesshomaru gave a small growl. He did it again anyways.

"Again," Rin said again, pushing them further.

Sesshomaru did it more jerky, not smooth.

"No Sesshomaru, this way," Rin said and demonstrated causing them to do the move slowly, again, then moving at a faster pace.

Over and over again.

Enough.

"Now Sesshomaru this next move you need to-"

"I don't care."

Rin widened her eyes at his words.

"What did you say?"

"I said, 'I don't care'," he said more loudly.

Rin stepped back, eye wider still, her jaw clenched. She took a deep breath to relax.

"Sesshomaru you came here to dance, to help me-"

"I am helping you, but what I don't get is why we are doing this over and over and getting nowhere! I am helping you and accomplishing nothing!" his voice raised with each syllable which was not like him.

Rin stepped back further and out of his arms which caused him to regret saying anything.

Rin tightened her lips and looked outside. It was pouring rain, reflecting their moods. Maybe Rin was going about this all wrong. They have been doing it all week. They still had two weeks to go.

"Let's get out of here," she said just loud enough to hear over the storm raging outside.

She didn't want to admit it, she was frustrated too.

Sesshomaru stared at her as she walked away to get out of her high heals and dropped them in her duffel.

"Get changed. I'll meet you at your car in five minutes," Rin said leaving the ballroom and Sesshomaru behind.

Sesshomaru squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and then did what she said. They met at the front door at the same time. Both in jeans and t-shirts and tennis shoes, jackets thrown over their shoulders.

Sesshomaru opened the car as they approached it, rain pelting them as they went.

When in Rin said, "Head for Highway 45."

Sesshomaru did just that, not questioning her.

They drove for a good thirty minutes on the highway she mentioned until she told him to take a right. By that time the rain had let up somewhat. It led them to a trailhead.

Rin once again led them, hiking up into woods and dense forest, only the rain keeping them company.

Sesshomaru noticed Rin starting to slow down, the path widened ever so much for them to walk side by side.

Sesshomaru took her hand and she didn't pull away, she slowly gripped his hand as they continued to walk not knowing where they were going.

Rin then walked off the path then, taking them to a bench, well worn from others and weather.

The moment was spent in silence.

Rin leaned her head onto his shoulder once they sat down.

"I'm sorry Sesshomaru," she said quietly.

He closed his eyes.

"I apologize too," he said quietly accepting hers, but also wondering if it was her fault…or his, or maybe even both. He looked at her when she spoke up next.

"You do not need to apologize Sesshomaru. It was all me. I kept on pushing you continuously for seven days straight. S consumed was I trying to perfect the routine that I forgot it takes two…" she paused, "to tango."

Silence.

For the first time in his life, Sesshomaru started to laugh. It was so contagious that Rin started laughing just as hard. It lasted long, Rin's side muscles hurt and Sesshomaru's face strained from the use. Tears streamed.

It was a while before both calmed down. In the end both were clutching each other. Tears were still streaming but from Rin's eyes only. She hugged him tight, afraid to let go.

Sesshomaru held her just as tight because she was shaking so much. It was a while before she calmed down completely.

Rin moved to look up at him then and said, "Follow me."

Both stood up and went back up the path bringing them back to the main trail. Rin led them further in until the trees broke into sunshine, the clouds parting from their earlier torrent of rain.

It was a small lake.

"What is this place?" Sesshomaru questioned.

"It's a place for some peace and quiet. To reorganize thoughts," Rin answered and proceeded to take off her shoes and roll up her pants. Sesshomaru followed suit.

There were hardly any rocks to hurt their feet with, the sand soft to walk on.

Rin walked them further down the beach to bigger patch of sand. She turned around to face him them.

"Sesshomaru I want to try something with you, if that is alright."

Sesshomaru stared into her eyes, a sort of pleading in them. He nodded yes.

"Do you trust me?"

Did she need to even ask? He nodded yes.

"Okay," she took his hands in her own, "close your eyes." He narrowed his eyes slightly, but closed them just the same.

He felt her bring one of his hands up and placed it on her chest, right over her heart. She placed her hand on his. Over his heart.

"I believe a reason why we are having so much trouble this past week is because we are not in sync with each other."

Sesshomaru opened his eyes at that.

"Close your eyes Sesshoamru and let me finish."

Sesshomaru stubbornly closed his eyes again, a slight pout on his lips.

"Feel our heartbeats. As being destined for one another, our heartbeats do not beat as one. Different speeds, different beats. As dance partners they should not separate when together. Follow me," Rin said now tapping a steady beat on his chest.

She started a simple waltz step. Sesshomaru automatically took the lead, but with the speed and tempo of their heartbeats. During her speech he had noticed her heartbeat was a moderate tempo, his on the other hand was fast. He slowed his heartbeat down and only then did Rin start the steps.

Their heartbeats sped up and so did their steps. Nature was their music.

Sesshomaru then moved their hands into dance position and he moved them from waltz to the rumba routine. Heartbeats still in sync, he moved them to the tango routine. Rin was slightly surprised, but he moved them both with a fluidity he had never brought to the dance floor before.

She couldn't help but smile. The feel fo him was exhilarating, his body against hers.

Sesshomaru slowed them down and finally understanding that it was to dance. With her.

They came to a stop and both opened their eyes, the sand around them torn up from their dancing.

Rin bit her bottom lip.

Sesshomaru couldn't help himself anymore.

He kissed her.

XOXO

A/N: Alcohol works wonders. Got this one up in no time. Let me know what you think.

Also I posted a new story. Break Free. Check it out.