Chapter II

Rin had been slightly confused about why the stoic Sesshoumaru would show any attention, let alone concern, for her when he barely knew her, but had eventually given up trying to find the reason for his actions. He still came to the bar as he always did and would nod a greeting to Rin whenever he saw her which she would return with a smile. She was pleased that she had finally managed to get the man to talk and even though he hadn't said much; she had succeeded where many had failed. Sometimes he would emerge from the bar at the same time as herself and would give her a lift home, but that was very rare.

Although used to spending time alone, Sesshoumaru had found that the few times he spoke briefly to Rin were enjoyable and he was surprised that she always tried to get him to talk more. He had always been under the impression that he was uninteresting, but Rin clearly found him fascinating. The tiny woman was also interesting. He found his gaze landing on her more often than not and he was slowly learning how to read her body language. When she was interested in something, she sometimes tilted her head to one side which was, in fact, quite cute.

Watching Rin eventually became more of a habit than coincidence and Sesshoumaru found his attention captured by her graceful movements and incredible smiles. However, as time passed he began to notice subtle changes that apparently no one else had noticed. In the beginning, he thought he had simply been imagining things and had pushed aside his thoughts, but in the end, he realised that he had not been imagining what he saw. Since he had taken to coming to the bar earlier so he could see her arrive, Sesshoumaru first noticed that her usual punctuality had started to slip. She ended up arriving with only minutes to spare before her shift started and was always panting as though she had run a marathon. The next thing he saw were the dark circles beneath her eyes that steadily grew darker each time he saw her.

Eventually, other regular visitors to the bar began to notice the change in her as well although they wisely chose not to mention it for fear of upsetting her. Rin still smiled, but her smiles now seemed tired and her enthusiasm seemed to have gone. She no longer held long conversations with regulars and the way her hands shook slightly became glaringly obvious when she tried to pour drinks without spillage and failed more often than not. Although not keen to admit it, Sesshoumaru had joined the ranks of men in the bar who kept an eye on Rin sometime after speaking to her for the first time and was also among those who were somewhat baffled by the change in her usual cheerful disposition.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"Rin!" the manager called her name as she made her way across to the exit at the end of her shift. "Do you have a moment?"

"Uh… not really," Rin admitted with a blush.

"I'll be quick then, if you want some extra shifts, write down the hours you're available and give them to me tomorrow so I can put your name down."

"I will," she smiled half heartedly. "Thank you."

Returning the wave the manager gave her, Rin left the building and stepped out into the cold night air. She pulled her coat closer around her and buried her hands in her pockets as she leaned against the wall beside the door. Sighing, she knew that she should make her way back home, but was reluctant to do so. After her room mate had moved out the month before, Rin was forced to foot all the bills on her own and was finding that the money she was earning from working at the bar was simply not enough. Seeing no alternative, she had found herself another part time job and usually worked from 7am until midnight or sometimes later depending on her shifts. A combination of long hours and anxiety over her future meant that she got very little sleep and sometimes got none at all. It was all beginning to take its toll on her and Rin knew that she couldn't keep up this lifestyle much longer.

Sighing softly, Rin pushed herself off the wall and paused for a moment to wait for her vision to clear. She was just about to take a step forward when the door beside her opened. Sesshoumaru sudden appearance caught her by surprise and threw her off balance. A strangled sound escaped her lips as she reached towards the wall again to steady herself. Amber eyes widened slightly as they focused on the woman pressed against the wall as though it was her life support and then narrowed as they took in her pale appearance.

"Are you alright?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her.

"I'm fine, thank you," Rin replied, her voice quavering slightly. "You startled me is all."

"I see. I'll give you a ride home."

"It's fine really," she insisted, trying to refuse as she had done the first night.

Sesshoumaru didn't reply and simply leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he watched her. Her pale skin made the dark circles under her eyes stand out and he couldn't help but wonder what she did to make herself look like this. Eventually, she pushed herself off the wall and stood still, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them and looking directly at him.

"I'll be going now," Rin said quietly, turning around and slowly walking away.

Sighing at her stubbornness, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her retreating figure and noticed that she seemed a bit off balance. Shaking his head slightly, he stood upright and dusted himself off; preparing to go after her and make sure she accepted his offer this time. He wasn't sure why he was so concerned about her when he knew that she could take care of herself, but he couldn't help himself. When he looked up, he found himself staring in surprise as she was nowhere to be seen. Frowning, he made his way down the street and turned the corner before coming to a stop, eyes widening when they landed on the very person he had been looking for. She had found a bench and sat down and he would've thought that she was looking up at the sky if her eyes hadn't been closed.

"You'll be ill if you sit there in the cold," Sesshoumaru commented as he sat down beside her.

"Maybe," Rin said quietly, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards slightly.

"That doesn't bother you?"

"No."

They sat in silence for a while before Rin sighed heavily and sat up straight, lifting her hands to rub her eyes as she tried to clear her blurry vision. She looked down at her hands for a moment before lurching to her feet and attempting to take a step forward. However, she finally paid the price after skipping meals and sleep as she felt her knees buckle beneath her and she waited to meet the cold pavement. Her eyes opened slowly when she didn't feel the pavement and looked down to find arms wrapped around her. Sesshoumaru's quick reflexes had allowed him to catch her before she hit the ground. They stood still for a moment before he pushed her down onto the bench she had just vacated and crossed his arms, frowning at her.

"You're fine, are you?" he asked, eyebrow rising slightly as he looked down at her.

"I'm fine," Rin insisted, wanting nothing more than to get home and away from the stubborn man.

"You need to go home."

"I was."

"You were sitting on a bench."

"It's on my way home."

"It's not your home though, is it?"

"Alright, alright," Rin sighed as she accepted defeat and leaned her head back against the back of the bench, closing her eyes again as she felt a wave of weariness wash over her.

"Wait here."

Rin didn't reply as she cracked an eye open to see the tall man disappear around the corner, his long coat whipping around his legs as he walked. She couldn't bring herself to care about where he had gone or what he was going to do and was content just sitting on the bench feeling the cold wind on her skin. Eventually she was struggling to keep her eyes open and pushing herself upright as quickly as her tired body would allow. It was potentially dangerous for a young woman to fall asleep on a bench in the middle of the night in this neighbourhood. She was about to stand up when Sesshoumaru reappeared with his motorcycle at his side and she almost smiled. He was still insistent on giving her a lift home and she no longer had the energy to argue, although why she had argued in the first place was beyond her.

Sesshoumaru swung a long leg over the machine and sat down, looking at her carefully as though considering something before beckoning her over. She looked unsteady on her feet but managed to totter over to him without falling and stood beside him with a vaguely curious look on her pale face. Instead of handing her the helmet as he had done before, he pulled her forward to sit in front of him, not trusting her to sit behind him in her current state. Rin gasped softly in surprise as she felt herself pressed against him but calmed herself after a moment and looked up at him questioningly. He merely shrugged before they set off and Rin was forced to bury her face in his shirt to avoid the cold air stinging her eyes.

After a short ride, Rin looked up to find them outside the apartment building she lived in and grimaced at the sight of it. It was truly an awful looking place, but given her financial state at the moment, it was all she could afford, although whether she could continue to afford it on her own was debateable. She allowed Sesshoumaru to help her to her feet and stood beside him, unsure of what to say. Eventually, she gave him a small smile and looked up at the building.

"You can come up this time, if you want to," she said quietly, knowing that she would owe him for this as well as all the other times he had given her a lift home.

Sesshoumaru looked at her carefully and wondered if perhaps that would be a good idea. Given that she had already almost fallen, she would probably pass out on her way up the stairs or something. Nodding, he got to his feet beside her and waited for her to make a move. Rin gave him another vague smile before turning around and making her way towards the entrance with him in tow. As always, the elevator wasn't working, but she wouldn't have used it anyway. It would probably stop half way up and she would then be stuck in a dirty elevator until it was fixed or someone rescued her. It didn't matter though, her apartment was only a few floors up and she had always been of the opinion that stairs were better than taking the elevator.

"Is there no elevator?" Sesshoumaru asked, watched her make her way unsteadily up a second flight of stairs.

"Over there," Rin gestured to it and the large out of order sign beside it. "It hardly ever works, but my apartment is only a few floors up."

"What floor?"

"Fourth."

Choosing to remain silent after that, Sesshoumaru began to realise that one of the main reasons why Rin was in such good shape was probably because she was used to climbing all these stairs everyday. She didn't look to be in very good shape at the moment, but he knew that she was normally energetic and had to do something to keep her slim figure. Perhaps she just ran up and down these stairs a few times? That would certainly be a good form of exercise. Sesshoumaru smirked as he tried to picture Rin running up and down the stairs and somehow, it didn't seem to be very believable.

"Here," Rin called him from his thoughts, beckoning him to follow her down a dimly lit corridor that smelled slightly of mould.

Sesshoumaru followed silently and stepped into the apartment behind her, expecting the apartment to match the décor of the rest of the building but was surprised when Rin turned on the lights to reveal a well furnished and decorated living room. The furniture looked comfortable and inviting which was definitely surprising. Given that she worked in a bar and lived in such an awful building, this was definitely not what he was expecting.

"Make yourself comfortable," Rin said softly, gesturing to the seats and then paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "There's beer in the refrigerator so help yourself. I'm going to change."

Rin left the room and headed down towards her bedroom. When she opened the door and saw the bed, she sighed softly. It looked so inviting that she wanted nothing more than to collapse on it and wrap herself up in the warmth of the covers. Pushing away the thought, she opened her wardrobe and pulled out the pair of plain black trousers and a pale blue t-shirt that served as her pyjamas in winter. They were ideal because they looked like normal clothes so she could wear them in the presence of other people and comfortable enough to sleep in. After she changed, she untied her long hair and let it cascade down her back, smiling slightly at her reflection. She had always loved her hair and took good care of it even though she had limited funds. The tips of her hair brushed her waist and fell over her shoulder as she bent down to pull on a pair of socks before heading back to the living room. Sesshoumaru was sitting in one of her chairs, beer in hand and flipping through a book that sat on top of the nearby pile. He glanced at her when he heard her come in and then gestured to the book.

"You're studying Psychology?" he asked, slightly surprised.

"Studied, I've finished my course," Rin replied with a vague smile as she sat down on a nearby chair.

"You have a degree in Psychology and yet you're working in a bar?" Sesshoumaru asked incredulously.

"It's a way to make ends meet."

"Didn't you have a room mate?"

"She moved out last month."

"Whose belongings are those?" he asked, gesturing to a few sealed boxes that were stacked against the wall.

"Mine."

"Why the boxes?"

"I thought I'd get a head start," Rin replied with a crooked smile. "I'll have to leave here soon so I thought I might as well be prepared for it."

"Leave?"

"I can't afford all the bills on my own. I've got debts to pay and trying to repay that and rent for this place is just too much."

"Where will you go?"

"I'll try to find something nearby, but if I can't then I'll leave the city. My family had land and a house in one of the smaller towns, so I'll go there. At least I won't have to pay rent there."

Sesshoumaru stared at her. If she left the city then she would leave the bar as well and for a reason he didn't try to understand, that thought did not sit well with him. He knew that the place would no longer hold its current appeal if she was not there and it was probably not just him who thought this. She was not just another member of staff, she had become their friend and it would sad to see her go. If she left then he wouldn't see her again, have no reason to offer her rides home just for an excuse to be close to her and no longer feel his heart rate increase slightly every time she smiled at him. Sesshoumaru wondered when he had become attached to the woman, but eventually gave up trying to pin point the moment it happened and instead decided that ensuring she stayed should be his priority.

"Do you want to stay in the city?" he asked, looking at her carefully.

"Of course," Rin replied with a smile. "I don't want to leave my job, but if I have no choice then it's a sacrifice I'll have to make."

"I can offer you somewhere to live," Sesshoumaru said slowly, wondering why he was saying what he was. "But I would require something in return."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "What would that be?"

"That you stay at the bar."

For the first time in days, Rin felt her weariness lift as she laughed. This man was truly amusing at times and she couldn't believe what she had just heard. His condition for giving her somewhere to live was that she stayed at the bar? It was hard to believe that that was all he wanted. Suddenly, her laughter stopped as she thought over what he had said and she looked at him seriously. He was offering her somewhere to live? Why would he offer her somewhere to live? It made no sense.

"Why would you offer me somewhere to live?" Rin asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes slightly as she looked at the tall man currently seated opposite her.

"Can it not be simply from the kindness of my heart?" Sesshoumaru countered with a smirk.

Rin shook her head and smiled slightly. "Why is your condition that I must stay at the bar?"

"It would be troublesome to find somewhere else to drink."

Rin's eyes widened and then she smiled at the stoic man. She supposed it was his own way of saying he'd miss her being there, but she wondered why he would care whether or not she was there. Still, she knew that this was something that she would have to consider carefully as it would be a way out of her current lifestyle. Why he was being so nice to her was beyond her comprehension, but she somehow knew that he had no ulterior motives.

"Are you sure?" Rin asked. "You just offered a virtual stranger somewhere to live."

"You are not a stranger. I would not have offered if I didn't mean what I said."

"But…"

I have no problems with sharing my home with you. Besides, it would have all the other men at the bar green with envy," he said, his voice showing his amusement at the idea.

"Thank you for the offer."

"You will accept?"

"Yes."

"Good." He nodded approvingly before fixing her with a serious look. "However, I must insist that you stop your second job."

"How did you know?"

He gestured to some papers on a nearby table and frowned slightly. "I will not be impressed if I have to carry you home because you collapsed from exhaustion."

Rin laughed. "If you insist," she replied with a small smile.

"I suggest you go to bed, it's after midnight."

Sesshoumaru got to his feet and walked towards the door with Rin in tow. He turned and nodded at her when he stepped out the door and she smiled.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

He paused for a moment before lifting his hand and ruffling her hair slightly. "It's fine."

Without another word he turned around and walked down the dim corridor towards the stairs. Rin watched until he disappeared before sighing and going into the apartment. Who would've thought that the solutions to her problems would come from a quiet man in a bar? However, she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth and was pleased that she had accepted his offer. It would be a great help.