Rin was suddenly rendered mute, and was grateful that Kaede smoothly said:

'Sorry to interrupt you, but I am training our new employee - Rin-san. Would you mind if I watch her as she cleans your apartment?' The old lady smiled up at Sesshomaru.

Rin snapped out of her hypnosis and had to do something with her hands to hide the tremble in them; so she straightened the white maid's cap on her head.

Sesshomaru opened the door wide to allow the two women in. Jaken was sitting on the couch, and the Demon said to him;

'Jaken, let's go'

The imp looked up lazily from his phone and immediately stood as he saw a pretty girl in a maid uniform enter the room; until recognition dawned and he realised that she was the human his Lord had choked from school.

'But, older brother, I need to charge my phone!'

'Too bad' Sesshomaru grunted, grabbing Jaken by the upper arm. Rin watched the exchange, her nerves utterly on edge, and began picking up any rubbish she saw as soon as she could to distract herself from this terrible situation.

Hakai also had a younger brother? They lived together, in this apartment, and she was now assigned to clean it every night? What had she got herself in to? Rin was panicking and trying not to let on to the landlady. She had to remain calm and professional.

Rin breathed a sigh of relief as Hakai left with his sibling, and she could get on with cleaning the place without the extreme awkwardness of their presence.

'Do you know them, dear? You seemed on edge'

Damn, the wise old lady had noticed.

'Ah – yes he's a new student at my school.'

'Oh ho!' The old lady chuckled 'he's a bit of alright, isn't he?'

Rin blushed to her hair roots and tried not to laugh at hearing an old woman use that turn of phrase.

'Everyone says so' Rin replied in a non-committal way.

'Rin-san, you don't put the rubbish in the kitchen sink' Kaede observed with some humour.

Rin realised what she was doing and immediately redirected her path to the bin. She had to shake herself and keep her head screwed on! Even if he lived here, she could not fail her first day of training!

'S-sorry Kaede-sama'

'It's alright dear, I was a bit thrown off by that young man's looks myself when I saw him'

Rin grimaced to herself, not wishing to hear any more about the occupier of the room she was forced to now clean. How utterly degrading! The hazel eyes flashed in her mind – his was the last face she was expecting to see behind this door. He must have made it back here while she was having her interview! It was strange, that when you did not expect to see someone, one could be struck anew with that person's appearance.

She had wanted to get revenge on the insolent boy, but instead she was being made to scrub the floors of his apartment. This was insufferable and mortifying.

But – highly necessary for her to help her mother and see her own brother. Rin was curious about Hakai's younger brother – he looked much kinder than his older counterpart. It had also seemed at the small glimpse Rin had got of them both that Hakai did not spare his bullying ways toward the poor kid.

Rin entered the bathroom and tried not to balk at the sight that greeted her. Torn bloodied clothes and red splatters over the tiles was not was she was hoping to see.

'Dear me, what's gone on here?' Kaede peered in after Rin.

'I know he was injured – he was in hospital yesterday'

'Gosh. I wonder what happened?'

Rin didn't answer for she had no idea herself. The one person she wanted to forget about at the start of her weekend, she now had to discuss. Not only that but be landed right in the middle of his living space. With anger Rin began tossing the clothes in a fresh bin bag and then soaked up some of the blood with paper towel before spraying some cleaner pretty much everywhere, letting it sit for a while to dislodge some of the dried blood.

'Good work, Rin-san' Kaede commented 'I hope having to do this isn't too awkward for you'

Rin inwardly cringed, not even able to begin to communicate to her new employer just how humiliating this all was.

Sesshomaru had been thinking of ways to go and hunt that demon parasite that had mauled him, staring out the window to his apartment, when he heard a knock on the door not ten minutes after they themselves had entered. Jaken had headphones in and hadn't heard, so the Demon Prince with annoyance went over to the door and opened it.

His eyes dropped to see Rin, dressed in a maid's uniform, looking up at him with wide eyes. The old land lady was with her, and Sesshomaru knew the old bird was speaking but he was not listening.

What the hell was she doing here dressed like that for Kami's sake?

Sesshomaru swung around and grabbed Jaken, telling him to go with him.

He watched as Rin began picking up bits of rubbish and felt a surge of some sort of emotion watching her clean his space. Was it – satisfaction? Watching this impudent human clean up after him and scrub his floors with her own hands. It served her right. He noted that it had not taken Rin any time to find the job she'd promised her mother that she'd find. Was this so she could go and see her brother? Sesshomaru bit off the train of thought and left the building with the imp in tow.

'Milord – wasn't that Rin, the girl you choked?'

'What of it?'

'You're going to let her touch our things?' Jaken tried to downplay the panic in his voice.

'Yes' Sesshomaru smiled a dark grin.

Jaken wondered what it meant.

'I hope you're not planning anything heinous' Jaken mumbled, but Sesshomaru was already out of ear shot. He was going to find that demon again.

Jaken noted the darkening sky and did not like the mood his Master was in; the last thing he wanted was a repeat of yesterday – Sesshomaru seemed to refuse to know his limits in this human form and he was fighting against it in vain. Jaken thought there was quite a few good things about being human, and he wished Sesshomaru could calm down for a moment to realise the benefits. Sure – the Lord couldn't kill five thousand people in one swoop or look anywhere near as magnificent as he did in his true form, but there was something to be said for the simplicity of the human state. Not to mention, humans certainly had their own beauty – Rin had looked very pretty in her maid outfit, or so Jaken had thought.
Unfortunately, Sesshomaru only seemed to be able to view things in the sense of defeat then conquer and rule.

He peered in to the distance where Sesshomaru was walking and to his shock, saw something scuttle even further ahead in the growing darkness of the streets. Jaken rubbed his eyes and looked again, and the thing was gone. Had he really seen it? It looked like something similar to what Sesshomaru had described. Jaken thought it to be impossible as Milord and demon hunters had wiped those foul things from the earth long ago!
Parasites, vermin of the spirit world, they did no good and had no mind, rhyme or reason. They embodied the worst of everything demonic.
Jaken convinced himself that his eyes were mistaken.

Rin finally finished up in room 44, and just wanted out of there as soon as possible. Kaede praised her work, telling her that due to the extra elbow grease required in cleaning up the blood covered bathroom, she'd have to come back and ensure the tenants were satisfied with the job.

Everything in her screamed 'no!' but she had to do as her new employer asked, so Rin bowed demurely and agreed, going on to clean the other apartments. She was exhausted by the end of it – the work out was insane and the emotional drainage of knowing she had to clean Hakai's living quarters - for who knew how long - was a bit too much for her to handle.
Could there be a way for her to exact her revenge in this capacity? There was no way she could do a half-assed job of the cleaning and lose her position, but maybe there were other more subtle ways…. Rin's mind set to work trying to imagine ways to bring that student down a peg or two. Kohaku's little pranks and games might pay off after all, Rin had learned a thing or two from him.

It was almost 11:45pm, and Rin decided to start wrapping things up. Kaede had checked on her at 11:30, and approved her work thus far, handing her a key card after explaining she could take her work uniform home when she left at midnight. Before leaving, the landlady reminded Rin to check on room 44.

Gritting her teeth, Rin went down a level carrying a few rubbish bags and threw them in the waste trolley that she would have to take down to the ground floor at the back of the apartment complex.

Removing her gloves, wiping her brow, Rin wondered if Hakai and his brother had even returned yet.

She went and knocked on the door, hoping against hope that they were still out. There was no answer and Rin breathed a deep sigh of relief, thanking Kami.

She turned to head back toward the waste cart, and around the corner at that moment came the very person she'd just been so thankful to avoid.

Sesshomaru had been going at quite a fast pace, but he slowed considerably when he saw Rin all alone, in the way a panther slows to stalk silently toward its victim. Rin realised at that moment just how alone she was in the dim lit hallway and did not like the awful glint to Hakai's eye – she looked with desperation around him hoping to see his younger brother, but he did not appear.

She would get her duty over and done with and leave, that was all there was to it.

Rin paled as she saw Hakai coming toward her with some sort of intent, and she barely knew what to do. He came right up to her, so that she had to look up in to his face, and he put a hand against the wall above her, forcing her against it.

Rin refused to look away from his gaze, though it shook her to the core. It was not like his menace in the hospital – the expression was burning and inwardly bent.

'Have you cleaned every inch of that room?' Came his voice like a cold knife to her ears.

His body was far too close to her, and she was surrounded by him; her head at his shoulder height. The question he posed was so extremely autocratic and accusatory Rin raised her eyebrows in disbelief, had she not mentally pedaled as fast as she could to regain her composure.

'I'm glad you asked' she replied with an even tone, as she kept looking in to his gold flecked eyes.
'I had come to ask you if it was to your satisfaction' she said with a professional accent, yet underlying was a smug tone.

Rin did not know that the last word she used was just the emotion Sesshomaru was feeling about this whole situation, and the slow smile that spread across his features caught her off guard.

'Would you be so kind as to assure me there is no more that needs doing?' Rin prompted, wanting to get away from under his forceful scrutiny. That smile was decidedly evil, and she completely distrusted Hakai's moods.

'Of course' the Demon purred as he removed his hand from above her head, and Rin felt the painful knot of anxiety uncoil ever so slightly in her stomach.

Entering the room, Rin switched on the lights and Hakai followed her in. The room was very nicely tidied up, and of course the damned boy went right to the bathroom to check on the bloody monstrosity he'd left behind. It was all cleaned, every last speck of blood. The last thing Sesshomaru wanted to do was praise the impertinent woman, so he turned and watched her face, reading in there an expectation of a complimentary remark. He was not going to give it.

'I will tell your new employer that you did an awful job' he sneered, and Rin's face dropped for a momentary second before she regained her composure. This person was not going to defeat her in a spar of words. However, Hakai had not finished speaking.

'But I will not say a bad word about you' he continued, approaching Rin again; 'If you stop disrespecting me'

Rin was utterly taken aback. What on earth was he on about? He had some serious issues, more than she imagined, if he genuinely believed himself so integrally superior!

'E-excuse me?' Rin stuttered.

Sesshomaru merely stared at her through slit eyes, watching her face. He knew she'd heard him; she just didn't want to give respect where it was due.

'I'm sorry' Rin continued, searching desperately for words, 'but I honestly need an explanation as to why someone who is a stranger to me, demands my respect so illogically? You've done nothing but bully and scare me half to death in the week I've known you!'

Sesshomaru was stunned. A mortal was questioning him so rudely? If she had any idea what he had done as a Spirit guardian and warrior to preserve the very land and culture she was a part of, she would not be so smart with her tongue. If she was scared, that was a good thing. Fear and respect should always go hand in hand.

Rin was more than exhausted; she was now terrified once again in this abominable man's presence. She was assured he was evil, despite his beautiful gold flecked eyes and god-like lithe stature.

'So you should fear me' Sesshomaru retorted and Rin scoffed; - he was mad!

'What are you, huh?' Rin broke, her hands out spread in bewilderment.
'You're as human as I am, yet you're standing there berating me like a child about respect! Tell me, just how have you earned my respect? By choking me? Do you think respect is just given regardless of the subject? Who do you think you are, a god?'
She waved her hands around as though expressing how preposterous the idea was.
'We're all the same!' Rin continued; 'Take off your ridiculous blind fold, just because you're a spoilt brat who everyone fawns over does not mean others are going to take a shine to you! Your behaviour is completely appalling. I'm disgusted.'
She threw down her maid cap for emphasis.
Rin's voice couldn't have been more contemptuous if she'd tried.

Sesshomaru was sure his eyes were bleeding red, and it was a stroke of luck on Rin's behalf that Jaken entered the room at that point.

'Oh, Rin is here. What's going on?' the toad looked from one to other, sensing a very dangerous mood from his Master. Were his eyes showing red? By Kami, Rin had got to him so much?

'Now, now, whatever is going on here – '

'Jaken' the Demon Lord's voice sounded like a whip.

'I don't care what you say to my employer' Rin continued, her voice trembling. 'Nothing is worth having to bear you in my life outside of the utterly necessary'

With that, the girl rushed out of the room, her chest heaving with emotion.

In all his days, no mortal or spirit had ever dared say half of what Rin had just thrown at his head. It was a good thing for everyone else but the Demon that he wasn't in his full form. The apartment would've been torn to absolute shreds in seconds if that had been the case, and it would have appeared Rin had done a really bad job of the cleaning. As it was, Sesshomaru flung after Rin once he'd stood as still as a tree for quite some minutes, the Beast inside him wishing to come out, but well and truly locked up behind human bars.

Jaken tried to stop him with little affect, and the poor little demon followed after his Master.

Rin had barely managed to push the waste cart back in to the lift and down to the ground floor, place it where it needed to be, pick up her bag and begin to leave the complex, before she heard quick footsteps following her.

By Kami she was seething with such adrenaline fueled rage that she turned and was about to hit that delusional boy across the face.

Hakai caught her arm mid swing and held it in a painful grip.

'You will meet me tomorrow at the Inugami shrine' his voice commanded, his eyes drilling her.

'Why should I do anything you tell me to?' Rin spat at him, wrestling against his hold.

'The damned assignment' was all Hakai could manage through his anger, and Rin almost laughed at how absurd it was for him to refer to such a mundane topic.

'You promised to not touch me again' she finally whipped her arm away from his hold, rubbing where he'd gripped.
As if she was going to collaborate with such a nut case!

Rin watched as Hakai appeared to struggle with something inwardly, before he seemed to force the next words out.
'I need to tell you something' he said coldly. Rin could care less. She was so tired, and very upset and just wanted her mum.

'Good for you. I don't want to hear it. Good night'

Rin turned without hesitation and left, her biting tone leaving a bitter taste in the air.

'She is quite a fire cracker' Jaken remarked. 'Is she safe walking home at this time?' Jaken had asked, but Sesshomaru had already left.