AN: Ok here is ch 3 and I hope you all enjoy so please R&R!
Disclaimer: I own none of the Inuyasha characters
"M-my feelings...for him?" Rin repeated as though she wasn't sure what she heard was correct. She shrugged while the children eargly anticipated her answer, but mainly the girls since the boys weren't very interested in something as mushy as inner feelings.
"Well," Rin started out with the obvious bashful tone in her voice. "Hard to say really...I don't know how to describe the way I feel about him." Rin blush deepened, but the smile on her face did not turn upside down. "But I assure you all it is a good feeling."
"What do you mean you can't describe it?" Tora asked as she nudged closer to till Rin was nearly nose to nose with the nosey little girl. "Saying how you feel is easy," she said in a tone of voice sounded as though she knew everything about everything. To Rin she began to sound alot like Jaken.
"Children!" the headman's voice came as they all looked to see everyone heading inside. "Come inside it's getting cold." The orphans did as they were told, and Rin had no choice but to tag along since the children practically ran with each of their hands grabbing on to either her hands or her kimono.
They all steped inside the empty Inn and each settled into the warm atmosphere of the red pillar posts holding the structure up along with clean bright wooden floors as well as neat rice paper screen sliding doors holding out the cool night air as best it could.
All very cozy indeed but one question still remained. "Where is everyone?" Rin asked as it seemed no other villager was going to voice their opinion on the subject. "I noticed that as well," the headman said as he too bagan to feel slightly distressed over the concern.
"Everyone, listen well," he said as all the villagers including Rin looked to him. "I want you all to go up to the the second floor and find a room to your liking, but at the first sign of light we head out. So go and find a suitable room, and no one room's alone."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and soon small and large families beagn huddling into single or double rooms depending on how many people there were. Men shared some rooms all together, and in other rooms women shared with other women.
"Miss Rin, I presume?" one of the women asked as Rin was about to enter the room all the women were sharing. "Y-yes that's me," Rin answered as friendly as always. "I was wondering if you would kindly join the orphan children in their room down the hall. I was going to accompany them tonight, but they insisted that it was you they wanted to have join them."
Oh," Rin answered. The children were all so adorable and sweet, but with all the questions making her blush she wasn't sure how she would ever get any sleep. Plus, what if Sesshomaru was close by? How was she suppose to get to him with all the children asking her non-stop questions all night?
"Sure, no problem," Rin said with a smile as she almost felt like Inuyasha and wanted to curse over her other weakness; being just too nice.
xxx
Not far from the Inn Sesshomaru watched with curiosity by the side of a large tree. His eyes closed for a moment to take in the scent of the castle. He could smell the sweat of all those village humans along with the children, and their stench alone would of been more than enough to make him walk away.
It was Rin's flower scent though that kept his feet planted where they were. Once he took in her scent it was all he needed to know that she was alright. He could hear no call for his name nor could he hear any kind of scream. She was safe at the moment, and he would not take her away from her chance at a peaceful nights rest in a warm Inn instead of on the hard ground surrounded by cold air.
He took in Rin's scent again, and thanks to his keen nose her scent left him feeling as though she was right in front of him. He almost had the resolve to sit against the tree and relax. He looked from the Inn to the spot not too far ahead of him where he saw Rin and the children speaking of him not too long ago.
If he were any less of an emotionless man he would of sighed. Eavesdropping had its good and bad sides. On one hand he was able to hear of what Rin thought about his looks, and he found his lips forming into a small smirk. She found him dashing did she?
He remembered of Kagura and her attraction toward him as well as her strange affections, but he did not want to think of the wind sorceress at the moment. She was dead, and thinking of her death was not something he wanted to bring into his mind.
It was flattering, and the last time he felt such a feeling besides that around Kagura was when that strange human woman confessed her love to him. Her flute was peaceful he would give her that much, but as far as his feeling for her it was simple. He didn't have any. She confessed her love for him and even went to great lengths such as foolishly giving her body to demons so that alone left him feeling a sense of flattery and a sense of responsibility to destroy those pathetic creature.
She died and he felt nothing of it for none of her feelings of love were returned. It was over and done with.
Although it took a whole love confession to make him feel the slightest ounce of flattery, but for Rin all it took was for her to compliment his looks and he would of cursed himself for his cheeks turning the pink color they turned. She complimented on him being dashing once didn't she? He didn't remember, and even if she did he was more than certain she was a child when she did it.
He didn't feel heat rise to his face then so why now?
She also thought alot about his eyes as well. He didn't put alot of thought into his looks since his hair color and eye color seemed to be no different as they have always been.
Well he may not of put alot of thought into his looks, but that did not mean he was going to allow his hair to become split and tangled like that half breeds or allow for his skin to become tained by any blemishes or marks aside from his birthmarks.
With being a perfect killer he also had to become perfect in every sense of the word. Well that is what his father and mother always arepeated to him. Perfect stance, perfect posture, perfect speech, perfect tone of voice for his speech. That was only the beginning; as far as his looks went how can anyone fear and respect him if he looked like some common piece of filth.
All his life his mother pestered him to be more elegant than anyone else so as not to fight battles like some ravage animal. His father ordered him to be more stronger than anyone else to give him his sire the sense that he left his lands in the hands of a strong heir. And he himself made it his own personal mission to be more perfect than anyone else so as he may strive past those long forgotten expectations put on his shoulders.
Aside from that...
He knew how demon females felt about his appearance simply by their scent of arousal, but he didn't think much of it. Rin obviously appreciated his appearance, and being that she is the only female he allows to travel by him he was very satisfied to hear that.
So he obviously didn't agree to her leaving when she did. Especially since she was about to speak of her feelings to him.
But I assure you all it is a good feeling.
Her answer didn't bring out too much detail, it only left so many questions hanging in the air. Still though...it wasn't an unsatisfying answer for him. She seemed to really enjoy being around him, and Sesshomaru felt a tug at his so called "black heart" at the thought of Rin only having good feelings when she thought of him.
Sesshomaru realized what exactly he was thinking, and stuck his head up in the air like a child refusing to eat their vegetables. A soft, "Ridiculous," escaped his pouted lips.
He was not suppose to care so much of what someone else thought of him, and it was never suppose to effect him so. He knew Rin must of taken some liking to him by the small forms of affection she has displayed on him in the past. She held a liking to him so what else did he need to know?
Maybe the proper question was what else did he want to know? Yet what should it matter how deep her feelings ran for him? The point of the matter was that she didn't fear him and she enjoyed his company. What else could he ask for?
So why did he feel unsatisfied, why did he want to know so bad as to what Rin was going to say if he already assumed he knew.
That was the bad side to eavesdropping. Sure he may of heard things he may have found pleasing, but the moment Rin left it only brought up his curiosity more. It would of perhapas been better if he didn't hear anything at all.
Now he felt like sighing more than anything at the moment, but he still kept it in. He just eavesdropped, and that alone was something he was not one to do. He looked away from the sky with his lips lining out into their usual blank look as he glued his pupils on the Inn.
Gold melting eyes stared at a certain screen door on the second floor and could tell that was the room Rin occupied by her scent, and the children were with her as well while the other villagers retired everywhere else.
"Hmm?" he grunted as he thought about the facts that he just conducted. There was the scent of Rin, the scent of children, and the same scent of the humans he smelled before. Yet that was it...
"Then what of the ones who run this place?" he thought to himself as his eyes sharpened at the mysterious observation. He allowed his nose to do it's work and for a brief second he inhaled the scent of the Inn before him. He could sell no other scent other than the obvious people that walked in a while ago.
Not only that, but the whole place smelled odd. It smelled of old wood and dust. He could smell old webs and rotting wood and rusted bars as well as dirty rice paper. Although it looked so new and so clean, and by the outside so no doubt the place was very well kept on the inside. So why did he smell a difference than what its appearance showed.
"Strange," he said as he decided then to investigate a little on the subject. If something was wrong than Rin may be in danger, and that thought alone made his feet begin to move in the direction of the Inn.
A hard black boot landed painfully on Jaken while he tryed to regain his stance though only ended up with his beak buried in the ground.
"Where are you heading my lord? Don't leave me?" he mumbled as he tried to get his beak out of the ground to follow the glowing figure of the demon lord as he walked closer to the castle.
xxx
"Hey, now what are you kids doing so late at night," Rin asked when she entered the room filled with busy children. They each were stacking piles of rice paper while othesr folded it into strange shapes. "We are making the lanterns for tomorrows ceremony," a boy answered as he folded his paper in an oddly shaped way.
"You have all day tomorrow to do that," Rin said as she prepared her futon ready for a few hours sleep before she headed out to find Sesshomaru. "I say let's all just get some rest."
It would seem her little advice did nothing to encourage them as they kept at their work. Well, atleast they were quiet and not asking her unessesary questions. With that in mind Rin layed her head down not minding the few candles still lite, and she tried her best to drift off into a peaceful slumber.
xxx
Warm brown eyes opened at the sound of soft cries, and it took the young woman a while to recognize her surroundings. Rin lifted herself up wondering how long she had been asleep. A yawn passed her dry lips and she figured not long enough, but what if her lord was already waiting for her somewhere.
"Maybe I should leave already," she whispered to herself as she got up from her futon and beagn to roll it up quietly. Suddenly there it was again, the soft cries that she knew she heard before. Rin looked in the direction she was sure it came from, and her eyes landed on a figure hidding itself underneath a blanket. One of the children?
Rin crept quietly to the bundled up figure while trying her best not to wake up the sleepy children. She walked closer, and when she got close enough she heard the figure gasp as the sudden footsteps and quickly shifted to where it looked as it was laying down again.
Rin almost felt a twing of amusement at the sight, but with those soft cries from earlier no laughter was heard. She unvealed the white sheets to reveal Tora with tears streaming down her face. Rin looked to the broken girl, and no questions needed to be asked. Rin knew what she was crying about; it was the same reason she herself used to cry when she was little.
"Bad dream?" Rin stated rather than asked. Tora looked to her completely shocked with her little eyes becoming the size of her hands. "N-no of course not," she said quietly. "Why would you think that?"
Rin held a small sad smile to her face even though there was nothing to smile about. She whipped a few of the stray tears away from the little girl's face as if to show her it was obvious she really was weeping. Tora blushed at the embarressment at being caught crying and looked away. "Do you want to talk about it?" Rin asked gently.
Tora shook her head and only brought her knees up to her chest and layed her chin on them. Rin could only let her sad smile for the little girl widen. A smile was not something to be shown at a time like this, but it always seemed sadder putting on a frown instead. She knew what she was going through; the lose of a family. The lose was done in a different way, but it still left the same pain.
Nightmares haunted her as well when she was a child, but all it took was a bit of company and the feeling of always having someone there to wake up to to help cease those nightmares from ever returning.
The place was dark, as dark as a usual castle Inn could be, and the only light was the moonlight shining through the paperscreen doors. Rin kept shifting her gaze from the screen doors to the sad little girl beside her. Tora looked like an average little girl with simple bangs resembling Sango's hair style a little bit, and a plain light blue kimono that only went up to her knees.
"You know," Rin started breaking the silence between them. "When I was around your age I too lost my family." Rin kept the smile on her face even though it was a difficult subject to talk about, but with the help of a certain demon lord in her head all she had to do was think about him and everything seemed better again.
"Really?" Tora questioned with a tint of shock that someone could just bring up such a subject so easily. "Was your village attacked by war as well?"
"No," Rin answered with a simple shack to her head, and the sad yet warm smile still on her face. "My village was attacked by bandits one night, and my family was unable to make it out alive." Rin had to admit it was a little hard not to cry, and especially since she has never talked about her family's death in so long. Still though, she had learned to sustain those tears for they will bring nothing but more sorrow.
"It does not sadden you?" Tora asked. "Huh?"
"You do not cry?" the little girl stated. Rin looked away and put on her bravest smiles.
"Of course it saddens me. I am unable to hear my mother's advice or see her smile when I do something to make her proud, and I will never hear my father's laugh again as he tries to make his own funny jokes to keep his family lively. I am unable to see my brothers grow into fine young men nor will I ever hear them tease me about annoying subjects. I will never see my parents live out their happy lifes together." Rin's eyes began to slowely recede to the darkness hidden under her bangs.
"I think what saddens me the most is that I will never get to let them know that desite all that...I am doing just fine." Rin lifted her head to reveal her shiney brown eyes to Tora with a gently warm smile displayed on her face. "I am happy," Rin whispered.
"What?" Tora asked with so much curiosity in her young childish face. "What is it that can take away such a pain? I weep every night you cannot tell me you did not have nightmares."
"Oh, I had nightmares alright," Rin stated in her as a matter of fact tone. "It was always about the night it happend, and for the longest amount of time it scared me."
"I know the feeling," Tora said as she landed her chin in her palms. "You feel horrible, and sick, and sad, and scared, and..."
"Lonely," Rin added. "Hmm?" Tora mumbled.
"That was always my biggest thing. I would have a nightmare, and I would wake up screaming only to find that no one was there. No one was there to comfort me, no one was there to aknowledge me, no one was there even to simply ignore me. I was alone," Rin said as she eyed Tora. "Just imagine what it would be like without all your friends."
Rin could tell my the girl's facial expression that she did not like the idea of no longer having her friends to support her and be with her. No child should ever feel alone. "So...," Tora started out. "How did you become happy again?"
"At first I thought I would never be happy again. But then," Rin started as she eyed the screen door she knew blocked off the view of the forest she longed to see because of a certain person perhaps being in there. "I met someone one day."
"Someone?" Tora questioned, and Rin smiled at her with her eyes closed in a happy expression. "I found him one day while I was beginning to think there really was no point in me living any longer." Tora moved closer as she became more interested in the story.
"I was actually thinking of ways to end my life since it was not as if I had much of one to go back to. Just then though at that precise thought I noticed s bright flash of white stream through the forest, and as I went to investigate there he was."
Rin remembered the day so clearly.
"Laying in the middle of the forest against a tree. I could tell he was in an uncomtorable state when he tried to shoo me away." More liked he hissed, but if it wasn't for that Rin would of never known he was really a demon.
"Did you leave?"
Rin chuckled softly," No, I took a deep breath and walked over slowely. You see he was hurt, and nobody was there to help him."
"You weren't scared?"
"At first I was shocked. He looked so terribly wounded that it amazed me he even survived what had happened to him. I cleaned his wounds..." Rin almsot felt like cracking a chuckle at her actually pouring water over her lord's head that day. Oh he must of been angry, but now was not the time to laugh.
"I wasn't sure what to do, but it wasn't until I was about to leave him that the answer was given to me." Tora looked more curiously, "What happened?" Rin wanted to mention how Sesshomaru's demon side vanished to reaveal to her all his beauty, but mentioning he was a demon would of been a late fact to bring in.
"I got to take a good look at him. For him being so hurt I've never seen anyone or anything so...beautiful." Rin knew beautiful may of been an insult to his male pride, but calling him handsome just didn't cut it at all. He was absolutely beautiful, and there was no better way to describe him.
A beautiful demon with beautiful eyes along with a beautiful figure, and to Rin a beautiful heart to match.
"I knew it was him," Tora teased as Rin blushed a little. Rin kept on to her story even though Tora now knew it was Sesshomaru she was talking about.
"Although, as beautiful as he may of seemed. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he and I were one in the same."
"What do you mean by one in the same?"
"We were both hurt. Him more physicaly while I more emotionaly, but maybe in the end he was the one suffering the most. For I don't think I have ever seen such hollow lonely eyes ever before in my life." Rin's smile soon faded and a sad look appeared on her face.
"He was distant, he was aggressive, he was harsh, he...just wanted to be left alone. His facial expression screaming out for me to leave him alone. Yet how could I?" Rin remembered wondering back then if the beautiful creature leaning against the tree had ever seen any ounce of compassion in his life.
Sesshomaru had hit the bottom of the barrel in his life by getting hit by the blast from the very weapon he desired only for it to be wielded by a half breed. Rin felt she may as well of been in the same barrel with him since her family was gone and nobody wanted her.
Each missing something the other can easily give. For Rin compassion and love came as easily as picking flowers, and even though he was quiet...
"Rin," Tora called to her dazed out new friend. "Huh? Oh, sorry I guess my mind went somewhere else."
"What happened next?"
"Well, after a strange twist of events I ended up following him. I didn't ask, but he didn't seem to mind. He was very quiet and very reserved, but in a way it did not matter to me."
Rin shined another bright smile. "I wasn't lonely anymore. He was there when I needed him to be, and when I woke up scared from nightmares...he...he was never far away. I would look to him and he simply told me to rest. I can never explain how such a simple word could ease me back into a peaceful slumber,...but it did and I wasn't scared anymore."
Rin remembered that very well. During her travels with him as a little girl she would wake up from a nightmares and he would always be the first one she saw when she woke up. He would softly call out "Rin" and when she would look to him he would tell her to simply "rest".
It wasn't the most comforting of words, but it was all she needed to hear to know that no bandits were ever going to get her so long as he was there.
"He had helped and saved me in more ways then one," Rin whispered as he cheeks blushed more. "Now all I want is to see to it that nothing but happiness is brought to him. I want to see a smile form whether it is in his eyes or on his lips. I just want him to be happy."
Rin felt as though she were making a vow she would dip in bronze to forever mold to her heart as to remind her exactly how special Sesshomaru was to her.
"I know he is more than capable of protecting himself, but if there is anything I can do...even just one little thing to make him even a little more happier...then I would do it without a second thought. I want him to be happy."
"Sounds like your in love," said a little girl that sounded nothing like Tora. Rin automatically jumped at the foreign voice as she looked to her side to find all the children up and giving her a teasing smile as if they all had that same statement in their minds.
"HOW LONG HAVE YOU ALL BEEN AWAKE!"
"Long enough," a smartalick little boy answered. "Ewwwww love."
"I think it's sweet," a little girl said a she cupped her palms to her cheeks. "I hope I could find the man of my dreams one day, and I wish he turns out to be everything like yours."
"Mine!" Rin thought as her cheeks became a fire red again as well as heat rising to her ears.
xxx
He knew it. "No scent," he stated as he checked the main room of the Inn for a second time. He searched everywhere from the courtyard to the massive hallways to the gardens, and each was the same scent.
The scent of dirt and dust and no smell of human workers.
"There is something missing," he told himself as he walked around till he reached the dining hall of the Inn. He searched and sniffed like some hunting dog, but unlike some half breed he held his nose in place instead of on the ground. Everyone slept in the upper level, and he decided it best to just go and get Rin to not have to waste his time on this place any longer.
"Lord Sesshomaru!"
Sesshomaru turned his head to meet none other than the woman he was just thinking of. Rin!
Rin smiled and ran to him.
"Lord Sesshomaru I'm so glad to...!"
Suddenly three demons appeared out of a cloud of smoke and grabbed Rin by her arms and legs and held her before the great demomn lord. They each chuckled as the girl in their arms struggles to get free.
Sesshomaru squinted his eyes and took a step forward before one of the demons held a sharp claw up to Rin's throat. "I don't think so buddie. One more move from you and the girl get's it. So I suggest you be a good boy and put down your weapons, and we might let the girl go."
"Lord Sesshomaru help!"
The demon's waited for a reaction but got none. It wasn't until a deep dark chuckle was heard that they began to tremble instead. Sesshomaru gave off one of his smooth deep chuckles as he looked to the demons in amuesment. "So that is your little game."
xxx
"No, no you kids don't understand," Rin tried to explain as the little children gathered around her again. "What is not to understand. You are in love!"
Rin yet again felt like her cheeks were flaming up. "I-I have never been in love before. I-I-I am not saying I'm not I mean I admire him greatly. I mean who wouldn't he is brave, extremely strong, courageous..."
The little children smiled to her again. "No, you see it's more complicated than that!" Rin didn't know what else to say. Was she in love? Considering the lengths she went through for her lord it was more than obvious, but still she had never been in love before. When she was little she loved him in the innocent sense of admiration, and adored him with all her heart.
Now she was older so...
Suddenly an ear piercing scream filled the room, and everyone looked to the door. "A scream!" one of the girl's shouted. Footsteps were soon heard and the children gathered behind Rin. The door opened to reveal the headman and a few men. "I knew it, this place is full of demons!" he said as he motioned for Rin and the children to follow him.
"Demons!" the children shivered.
"Demons?" Rin thought. Is it Lord Sesshomaru?
"Hurry let's go," one of the men called out as the children rushed out the door.
Rin was the last one out but before she left she heard a voice call her back like a magnet. "Rin"
Rin suddenly turned around to meet her silver haired golden eyes prince waiting for her outside the screen doors for her on the balcony.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin said happily as she rushed to him.
"My lord we better hurry out of here they might find you and...and...Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin questioned as she noticed he was looking at her very strangely...
She felt him get closer and closer to her she didn't know how to react. "What's the matter my lord, are you well?" she asked as she noticed the strange look in his eyes. They looked unfamiliar, and soon they were only a hairs away from each other. Rin gasped as she felt a hand wrap around her waist and his other hand hold up her chin.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin questioned as she looked up to him with her cheeks heating up so quickly she felt as though she may pass out. "I'm a..little dizzy."
What's he doing?
Sesshomaru's face got closer and closer to hers as his lips were a mere breath away from hers. Was he trying to...
WHAT'S HE DOING!
AN: Sesshy what are you doing? lol Well it will all make sense in the next chapter so I really hope you all enjoyed this one I wrote it at like 2 in the morning yaaa im so tired!
Anyway stay alert for chap 4 and please leave a comment if possible :) till next time!