(A/N: Oh just so you know. Sesshomaru has been alive and aware for the decades that it took for him to go from feudal Japan to modern times, but Inuyasha jumped through the well with kagome, so he was not alive and aware during those many years with Sesshomaru. Essentially sessy was alone for that entire time. Oh and both of them are still demons.)
As we made our way to the park, leaping from roof top to roof top, I did my best to put my mind to rest, constantly repeating to myself 'Don't get your hopes up and you can't be let down'. I tried to convince myself that we wouldn't find Rin. I was actually hoping that perhaps I had gone crazy and imagined the whole encounter. It would be so much easier to go on with my life if she had never come back in the first place, if I never saw her again. Of course in my heart I knew this was all a lie. I desperately wanted her to be back, desperately wanted her to remember me, and want to pick up our lives right where we had left off…but I also knew that I did not want to feel that pain again if I were to loose her, or if she we're not to remember me and wanted nothing to do with me. Better to not care at all. This what if she is back and still loves me, I could open myself up to her and take her away where we can be together forever. And if it turns out I really am crazy, then I've lost nothing, and I can go back to my meaningless life conquering the business world and raking in millions.
Inuyasha, running alongside me, kept throwing me concerned glances. Who knew the mutt could be so mature.
"Is there something on your mind Inuyasha, or are you just prone to staring at me." I tossed casually at him.
"Shuddup." He grumbled back, a slight flush of shame covering his cheeks. I smirked and picked up the pace.
It took only a few more moments for us to reach our destination. We landed behind a row of trees, out of the view of the general public. It would not do for them to see such a spectacle and mob us. I'm fairly certain that would prevent us from successfully locating Rin's 'reincarnation'. The park was surprisingly crowded today…and by crowded I mean there was a grand total of 3 families and a lone man walking his tiny rat like dog. We exited the wall of trees and walked over to the bench stationed a few feet away from Rin's burial place. The bench itself, other than being positioned specifically for admiration of the great statue on her resting place, also offered the best view of the entire park. The entire park was shaped like a giant circle, most of it filled in by forest. The empty field like space however was shaped more like a semi circle, or a crescent moon. The bench and Rin's resting place were positioned directly in the centre of the park at the highest point of the crescent moon allowing who ever was sitting there to see both entrances, and every other open space in the park. That combined with our acute sense of sight and smell we had a perfect view of the entire park, as well as some of the surrounding area.
We sat there and waited, and waited, and waited…and waited, and still nothing. A few families came and went, random travellers using the park as a short cut, some couples walking their dogs, or going for romantic midday walks…but no sign of the only one I actually cared about. Beside me Inuyasha stretched and yawned.
"Well, I'm gunna go get some coffee, I'm falling asleep on my feet here."
"…Your sitting down you baka."
"Whatever, you want one?" Inuyasha ran a clawed hand through his bangs.
"Fine. Just the usual." I straightened my back slightly, forcing myself to perk up a little.
"Alrighty, one black coffee coming up, and a caffeine IV drip for me." He chuckled at his own joke. I sighed at him for laughing at his own joke that wasn't really a joke. He waved a hand at me, dismissing me basically, then put both hands in his coat pockets and strode off with determination. I checked my watch absently, it read 2o'clock…and hour and a half had already gone by, and still no sign of Rin. I wondered how long Inuyasha would actually wait with me. He was not exactly well known for his patience.
Once he returned, I quickly downed my hot coffee, needing a bit of a 'pick me up, then wished I had more. Of course I was unwilling to ask him to get more, and even less willing to leave my spot and risk missing her. So I folded my hands on top of my lap and willed myself to relax. Although my patience was wearing thin, I did not want to risk leaving the park. The bench had become uncomfortable, the silence unbearable, and the wait was driving me slowly insane. Luckily, after about another long hour of anxiously waiting, Inuyasha's stomach growled loudly startling us both out of our own thoughts.
"Oops" He quickly looked at the cause of all the noise, then covered his stomach with his hand.
"Oh my god how long have we been sitting here?" He whined leaning his head back over the edge of the bench, and clutching at his stomach.
"Stop complaining mutt we've only been here for a few hours."
"But it feels like foreeevvveeeer. I'm starving. I'm going to get something to eat." Inuyasha slowly got to his feet, wincing and complaining all the way of stiff joints and sleeping limbs.
I looked after him as he walked away, then turned my gaze to survey the rest of the park. I realised that I had not been paying as close attention as I should have. We'd been sitting out here for about 3 hours now. Now considering how many daytime hours there were, it really wasn't that long of a time, but having seen no sign whatsoever of the girl who I was convinced was Rin, I was beginning to lose hope. I knew that Inuyasha was running out of patience, and I could tell that he wouldn't wait with me for much longer. I was afraid however that if he were to leave then I would have to face the facts that I probably had gone crazy. I shivered slightly as I felt the cold was starting to seep into my bones. I guess I couldn't blame Inuyasha for wanting to get out of here. As much as I wanted to find Rin, even I was dying to get out of here and back to somewhere warm…Although it would be nice to go somewhere warm with my Rin.
Inuyasha was gone for nearly a half an hour before I saw him reappear from behind a row of trees with an armful of baked goods, sandwiches, and a cup in each hand. He settled himself beside me once again, placed all of his bags of food beside him, and handed me one of the cups.
"Here, it's getting cold so I brought you another coffee." He handed me the beverage.
I stared at him in near amazement. He had certainly changed over the years. To think he had thought of me when his stomach should have had his full attention.
"Thanks." I muttered, still in a bit of shock.
"So how much longer do you think we'll be staying out here?" he asked.
"Well you know I want to find her, but I know that you probably won't survive staying out here for that much longer…give it another hour or so?" He sighed a little but then conceded and agreed that, that would be ok.
The minutes crawled by at a snails pace and yet still managed to disappear too fast. The wind picked up and was blowing in from our left, leaving me without the ability to pick up any kind of scent from our right. Much to our luck the scents that kept bombarding out nose happened to come from the nearby city…which did not smell good. A babysitter with half a dozen little kids walked by us, one of the youngest tried to crawl up on to the bench next to us. Inuyasha tried to pretend he didn't find the kid cute, but I could tell that he was probably getting to that point in his life where he'd be itching for a kid of his own. Once the woman had left though the park was nearly empty. There was a pair off to our right walking their dog, but I couldn't be bothered with them. Other than that the entire park had emptied with the babysitter. A quick glance at my watch told me that there were less than 5 minutes left before Inuyasha would begin to whine about wanting to go home. And because he'd sat here for so long, I knew I wouldn't argue against that desire. I ran a hand through my hair in irritation. We would never find her at this rate.
I sat back against the bench and tried to take as deep breaths as possible opening myself up to any and every scent in the park. Unfortunately the only thing I could smell was the city, and the cursed wind that was hindering my scent was also carrying the sound from the city, drowning out all else. Feeling deaf and blind, I gave up on my search, just as my watch hit the one hour mark. I could hear the chime of the cities clock telling me that it was indeed 4 o'clock. Inuyasha came to life beside me rubbing a hand over his face and shaking the pins and needles from his legs.
"Welp…time to go?" I nodded hesitantly…I did tell him we'd go now. It would be incredibly unfair to take back my word now.
"Ya I guess." Inuyasha rose to his feet, stretching and barely stifling a huge yawn. I was about to rise to my feet, when suddenly I was bombarded by a mass of white fur.
"What the FU/*choke*" mouth full of dog fur? Lovely.
"OH My God! I am so sorry! Ah-Un Heel!!" Hearing the familiar name, I pushed at the rather large white dog that had taken up residence on my lap, hoping to remove it. I had to see the owner.
Beside me Inuyasha had sat heavily back down on to the bench and fallen suspiciously silent. He hadn't spoken once, had not laughed at my misfortune, and had not even tried to help me out of it.
After several moments of wrestling with the dog, the owner pulling on it's leash, and myself pushing at it relentlessly, the large beast finally jumped to the ground. I shook my clothes off and brushed the remaining fur from my face.
"I'm so sorry, I don't know why he suddenly got so excited. Come on Ah-Un, time to go home." The owner pulled the dog away, clearing my line of vision just in time to see the young woman turn and walk away. I looked at Inuyasha beside me who was staring at said woman, jaw hanging open, eyes wide and popping out of his skull. He tore himself away from the retreating form and looked at me incredulously. He shut his jaw long enough to nearly whisper at me…
"There's no fucking way…"