Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any creations of Rumiko Takahashi. This is not written for profit.

Author's notes: One Armed Samurai is the story of a modern Sesshomaru and how he deals with life as a man with one arm. His mother has sent him to the Elmview clinic where he meets a young girl named Rin. This is set slightly in the future- there will be appearances by other cast member but not for some time. I have tried to maintain a realistic Japanese setting but all dialogue will be written from an American perspective.

One Armed Samurai:

Chapter 2: The Silence of Sound

Sesshomaru's entire body ached. His life had become a series of constant repetitive movements to strengthen muscles no longer attached to anything; lifting weights to fortify his remaining arm, teaching his body to compensate. Running, walking, re-teaching his body to understand his center of gravity had changed. All of it made him want to sleep for weeks on end, to be unconscious to the screaming in his body. But it was not the physical therapy that humiliated him. At least therapy was a corporeal challenge that required only that he exert himself. "Life skills" class reminded him every single moment that he was no longer normal. He had to learn how to open jars, how to type, how to tie his god-damn shoes with one hand. It was…dehumanizing. He could do all of these things less than two months ago. Now he couldn't untwist the cap of his toothpaste.

The muscles of his left shoulder knotted and burned. The therapist tried a new prosthetic every day. Simple mechanical models controlled by cables. State of the art intergraded arms controlled by electronic sensors. He found all to be cumbersome and not useful in the least. His stump was still bandaged for most of the day- stitches out, but the raw read seam a grotesque reminder against his pale skin. Sesshomaru growled in the back of his throat then threw his head back.

He was strong.

This was nothing. An inconvenience.

This would not matter soon.

The couches and recliners scattered throughout the common area were lumpy and stained from constant ill-use by a generation of children. Most patients wandered through frequently, stopping for hours at a time to watch mindless television or playing loud and obnoxious games. Until now Sesshomaru had spent the majority of his time in his own room. Once he became CEO of Tenseiga he would need to continue his education. He needed to study and he found it embarrassing to try and balance the large text books and turn the pages in front of others. But the bland walls of his room had become oppressive and so he found himself in the noisy rec room. He had found a semi-secluded corner near the back wall of windows. The barrier of cold air that seeped through served to keep most of the other patients away. This allowed him privacy without the wilting silence of his own room. Sesshomaru sat in a straight backed chair and allowed the heavy book to rest open on the small table before him. Perhaps he should enroll in online courses over the next years instead of attempting campus life. There would be little free time as he pulled the reins of his company around him. There was much-

"Oh"

Sesshomaru was pulled from his musings by the small sound. A small girl had entered into his secluded corner, obviously not expecting anyone to be there. At least she seemed surprised- her eyes widened and her lips puckered into a small "o". Sesshomaru glared at her his own mouth pulled into a sneer. Instead of being intimidated the girl stared at him. She took in his handsome face, the unusual hazel eyes, the twin scars that marred his left cheek. Although his eyes were now steely daggers the girl watched impassively before breaking into a wide smile. It was the most sincere grin Sesshomaru had seen in his life and he was taken aback by her open affability. His haughty manner tended to dissuade such friendly advances- as intended. Instead this girl had decided he was a pleasant presence and began to shift through a stack of books on the shelf behind him. Sesshomaru's first instinct had been to order her from the room, but as she had made no attempt at conversation and sat reading silently at a couch some ways off from his table, he wasn't certain it was necessary. They sat in sun-filled silence for the rest of the afternoon.

The next day Sesshomaru returned to his table. He had slept better the night before than he had in… some time. He had concluded this place was good for contemplation. If the girl decided to join him again it did not matter. This time he had brought a heavier book. The sheer weight of the pages kept it open. The girl did come and sat on the same couch- this time writing in a notebook. Sesshomaru did not mind as long as she did not make noise.

They went on like this for almost a week. He would return from his therapy sore and disgruntled and come to his corner for peace. For the most part he found it. But today's session had been particularly disheartening. It was impossible to tie a necktie with one hand. And the business suit was so much a part of the image he wished to project- so much a symbol of what he wished to become…he could not stand his own weakness. So when the girl entered "their" crook of the room carrying a brightly frosted cupcake and presented it silently to him Sesshomaru was in no mood to accept it politely. As if he would eat anything filled with that much unnecessary sugar anyway. "Mind your own business girl. Your generosity is wasted."

The girl looked crest fallen for a few moments. She stood near his table her head down, her disordered red-brown hair covering her eyes. She inhaled quickly then stepped forward enough to leave the confection on his table. She spun away before seeing what he did with the treat. Sesshomaru did not see her for the rest of the day, and did not allow himself to think what he had done was rude. He had not asked for her gift. He saw no reason to accept it. Still he had left it on the table rather than directly throw it away.

The next day the girl came again, this time bearing a different gift. She brought him a large mug filled with sweet dark tea. Sesshomaru could tell just by looking into the cheap pottery it was too syrupy and strong to be anything he would ever want. She gave this gift with less ceremony, leaving it on the table within reach. She did not back away as the day before, instead returning once again to her spot on the couch. While Sesshomaru made no move to drink the swill she showed no sign of being offended. As the girl sat slightly hunched into the corner of the sofa Sesshomaru felt his mind wander from the business ethics textbook in front of him. His eyes scratched over the girl, for the first time he started to wonder about her. At no point in their interaction had the girl uttered a word. She made sounds, suppressing giggles once while reading, but he had never heard her speak. As he glanced at her mismatched clothes and worn sneakers he began to feel curious. He vaguely guessed her age at 12, but he was certainly no expert at gauging the age of children. She seemed smallish- not short really, but undersized. Like a plant left out of the sun too long. Realizing his thoughts had wandered into the absurd Sesshomaru turned his attention back to his book.

As much a Sesshomaru tried to forget about the overly friendly girl he could not. Finding himself alone with Nurse Saitou as she changed his bandages he let himself ask a question. "Do you know anything about the girl that doesn't talk?"

"Rin? She's been here longer than I have. Ward of the state. I think her parents were killed in a home invasion." She wrapped the next layer of bandages thoughtfully. "There might have been a brother. Anyway she hasn't spoken a word sense the cops found her according to the file. Why do you ask? Is she bothering you?"

"No. She is the only quiet one here."

Saitou frowned slightly as she re-wrapped the clean linen around the scars. The muscles had been expertly sewn together just above the bicep. It was a beautiful job- even and neat. But still this vain young man must view his new body as something deformed. It would do him good to think of something outside of himself. But there was no need to hit him over the head with the idea.

"We can probably get rid of the bandages altogether by next week. The scars will thin down and pale into nothing more in a few years." Saitou paused. Sesshomaru may not like what she said next. "Dr. Hirako said you were having trouble finding a prosthetic. I'm just putting this out there- but some above-the-elbow amputees forgo the prosthetic altogether. There are just too many movements and sensors involved for there to be a true replacement right now. Maybe- with medical research. But for right now the majority of amputees find they can live a more fulfilling life if they learn to work with what they have. Just something to think about. It's not a decision you have to make right now." Nurse Saitou smiled encouragingly at him. "I'm glad you asked about Rin. She is a girl who could use some friends."

The next day the girl did not bring food. Instead she came closer to him than she ever had before. She leaned across the table and places a heavy brass cylinder in the seam of his book. The weight pressed the pages down enough he no longer had to hold the opposing pages with his hand. Sesshomaru was incredibly impressed by her simple solution but did not want to betray interest. He delayed looking up but sensed her waiting for his reaction. He picked up the ornament; it seemed to be taken from some kind of machinery and carefully cleaned. He smiled, still without looking up. Taking this as a sign of encouragement the girl pushed a bowl of candy into his line of sight. Sesshomaru automatically responded with a quick "no thanks."

Feeling the girl at least deserved acknowledgment for her useful gift Sesshomaru truly looked at her for the first time that day. He was sorely startled by her appearance but forced his face to remain impassive. The ridge of her cheekbone was scrapped and bruised and her lower lip had split open around another nasty contusion. The back of the hand she had not used to push her unwanted sweets towards him was covered in a heavy bandage. "Where did you get all those bruises?" When she made no move to respond Sesshomaru spoke again "You don't have to tell me." The girl seemed taken aback by the young man's interest, but just as he was about to return back to his book she broke into one of her infinitely sunny smiles. Never mind that it split her lip back open and revealed a small chip on her left incisor. Her genuine happiness at his small question was disconcerting. That much honest happiness, directed towards him of all people- it made him uncomfortable. "What are you smiling about? I don't care; I'm just curious."

The girl still made no move to respond instead bowing slightly and crossing back to her corner of the couch. She was sketching this time. Her pencil made a delicate scratching sound across the paper, but instead of finding it irritating Sesshomaru found it soothing. It was a gentle reminder that someone else was in the room. For once, that was something nice to know.

A/N: A good review is always appreciated. I tried to make Rin and Sesshomaru's interaction as similar to the anime as I could in this setting; the dialogue is pulled directly from the show. Let me know how I'm doing, and thanks for reading.