A/N: Happy Holidays! I wish you all an excellent new year and hope you guys enjoyed your vacations (if you had) and the celebrations… if you do any at all… if not… in any case, enjoy the days off, sleeping until late, wearing pajamas all day… anyway… have a blast and this is your present. From me to you.

Thanks all for the reviews; they make working on this all the more gratifying. I used to think I would just publish my random ideas for my own pleasure and just… not care about whether people read or not what I write but it's inevitable I would say… the more feedback or comments I get the more I feel the need to get them… I guess I do enjoy having a public… even if I'm not the best writer… or close. So I'll do my best to do justice to the characters and the brilliant story this fanfiction was inspired by.

Disclaimer: I regret nothing!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 7

Fear and love

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They had covered barely any ground by the time the midday sun reached its peak in the sky. Both travelers had woken up heavily and feeling sick, Sesshomaru guessed it was a weakening effect of the fog yet soon he discovered it might be hitting his companion slightly harder than it was hitting him since she spent half the morning giving back to earth whatever she had in her stomach. She looked pale and feverish, for the first time the ex-demon lord wondered if the human could take another step or if he should push her to rest.

As a child that had never been a problem, she showed her weaknesses without reserve and he always gave her more than enough time for her to rest or recover, not to mention he himself cured her wounds when the situation called for it. Nowadays however, the stubborn creature in front of him refused to give in to her condition and continued to move despite the warnings her body was giving her. More than once she had stumbled and nearly fell on the forest floor. It was a miracle no demon had noticed them… yet he was also aware any other creature surrounding them was pretty much in the same condition she was in.

All the more reason to wonder why he hadn't been so affected by it as the rest…

Rin hadn't spoken a word as well. Since the moment she woke up she barely said anything and all she ever spill was said in the same dead pan tone of voice. Something was seriously wrong with the human but he couldn't pin point what it was. He's dream had been weakening alright but it hadn't left him distraught in anyway… so what could she have dreamed about for her to be so… out of it? Even emotionally speaking he could tell the fierce woman was nothing but a frail creature that day, shaking slightly at the howling of the wind, turning around to look at a few ruffling leaves as if expecting something terrible to attack them. What had she dreamt about?!

Rin…

His own mind hadn't been so obedient to him anyway, replaying against his will the visions of the previous night. Even thought he knew it had all been an illusion it was still the most powerful thing he had ever experienced, lulling his senses towards anything but the gentle sway of his companions hips, the fresh scent of her skin and the soft, raspy quality of her voice. It had all been so perfect and so… natural. So he had tried to push those thoughts and memories away, it had been nothing more than a dream, an unrealistic, fake, impossible, figment of his overridden mind, dream. All a product of that blasted forest and its fog… something he didn't need in his search for the witch, not to mention staying alert to protect the girl in front of him and that day, she indeed needed his protection, even if it was from herself.

Clear eyes focused again on the woman in front of him forcing his focal point towards the head of dark hair instead of the ample hips walking in a hypnotizing rhythm. The old bat at the temple had said the weaklings had returned changed, affected by the forest, sick and unable to continue their lives normally, assaulted by visions like both had been the night before, and, despite the fact that he had spent the same amount of time immerse in the fog and its illusion, he wasn't affected by it as Rin was, so then his human companion was little by little becoming unbalanced. He feared for her well being and the possibility that she too could become… that she could be… changed like the others had been.

Rin is not weak!

His mind fought against the idea that popped and the concern he felt for her.

I raised Rin myself; she's capable of more than that.

He continued pressing his thoughts to be more… controlled and less emotional.

If she cannot carry on perhaps it will be better if she returns to Inuyasha and his mate. I could take her back to the old bat and she'll most certainly inform the half breed.

The woman trembled slightly and he felt more than heard how she was about to be sick again… for the fourth time that day…

…

After emptying her stomach once more, balancing her body against a tree she got up and tried to turn around to look for him. He had been walking behind her since they continued their way up the mountain that morning in an attempt to be at the ready if she needed his support like she was asking for right now. Their eyes connect for a second but she lost her balance for a moment again, her vision probably swimming and her limbs becoming unsteady so instead of fully turning to face him she braced herself against the tree in front of her once more and called for him.

"Hey…"

Sesshomaru moved quickly to her side and she carefully moved her right arm to rest over the ends of her neck before she placed her weight little by little on him.

"I think I need your help… could you?" she asked softly as she looked into his eyes and she seemed to understand something from his expression because she smiled apologetically "Just a few steps further… I don't wish to stay here anymore… the faster we get up the mountain and into the forest the better"

Sesshomaru grunted and breathed through his nose loudly.

"Yeah… I know… I don't think I can do it either but I cannot risk another night like that…"

Clear eyes turned to her dark colored ones with a sort of a plea in them.

Rin…

He hadn't meant for his expression to betray his real thoughts yet it was as he feared; the more he remained in this mortal form, the more he acted like any other mortal. Now, his usually emotionless mask had turned into a combination of pained fears and unwanted memories. She smiled tenderly in return, probably catching more than Sesshomaru wished her to see in him.

"I can't believe you remind me of him… so much" again her stomach lurched interrupting her and she arched her back although nothing came out "I can't… I'm afraid…" she pulled at his fur in an attempt to calm her trembling steps "I fear for him… I'm afraid something might have happened to him…" he felt the hot temperature and liquid quality of tears making him all the more distressed to her condition. Her words made no sense to Sesshomaru and it took him a moment as he tried to consider who she was talking about. Was she worried about Inuyasha? The slayer she used to be friends with? The monk?

"He was in my dreams… last night… those… nightmares"

Suddenly the idea of her worrying about the demon slayer… that pathetic excuse for a human, made his blood boil and a sickly desire to tear him to shreds appeared out of nowhere. How dare they share her dreams when he had been left lusting over one small…

Nightmares…?

Looking up at the priestess he considered what they had gone through since they woke up that morning. It had been late, they overslept and the fog that had covered their surroundings completely the previous night had already left leaving the space clear and fresh, even covered with a light veil of water product of that early morning's rain. After he opened his eyes he looked for her, finding her in front of him in a state of frenzied panic, seemingly clawing at her own clothes and throat, he had had to bite and pull on one of her hands for her to react and little after she had vomited for a couple minutes after which she remained sitting for another few minutes staring into nothing.

"No…" she had muttered in a shaky dead pan tone "Please…" she had managed to breathe out before she began crying inconsolably for a long while. It had caught him so unprepared he didn't know what to do. Although… if he thought about it a little he would've probably never been prepared for those tears since he had never seen her cry like that in their entire time together, not even when she was child. It was as if something extremely terrible had happened… perhaps similar to the death of her family… or when she had been beaten up by those villagers… he wasn't sure but he was certain he had never seen her feeling so… heartbroken. Afterwards the girl had moved up from her place, following the trunk behind her with her hands to steady her direction and to allow her time to breathe and calm her swaying vision. Then she had admitted feeling ill but right after saying it she had begun walking and had barely stopped since then.

What had terrorized so much that she was willing to risk her life in order to leave that forest?

Now, with his nozzle he pushed against her leg as if insisting she elaborated on her thoughts and what was happening but she only smiled at him and wave the issue away.

"Don't worry pal… I'm just a little woozy, we'll rest after I find a good spot and I'll feel better after that…" her words held no real back up at all, for a moment he even wondered if the girl remembered or knew where they were actually going, what they were there for. It seemed like the only thing in her mind, in her conscious thought was the fear she felt over the fog and those nightmares she had spoken so little of.

Rin…

Her name danced in his mouth like a chant and he wished not for the first time that day to be his old self again like in the dream and be able to speak to her again. To be capable of taking her full weigh over him, carry her, take her out of that Kami forgotten place of nightmares and fly away with her, back to Inuyasha… or perhaps… back to his palace with her… His thoughts drove him to his dream again he shook his head to clear it as he tried to continue his path up the trail and hopefully to somewhere safe where she could rest for a while.

What is wrong with you Rin? What did you dream…?

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft sound, almost imperceptible that made his ears stand on end and his tail swish in a stiff movement. Even Rin notice the change in his demeanor and was about to ask him about it when the animal pulled her leg to the front making her lose her balance on purpose, she tried to keep her balance but it was futile as the nausea hit back with a vengeance so she doubled over face first closing her eyes, expecting to hit the ground. She didn't let out so much as a squeak of panic and then he was there to receive the full brunt of her weight over his back and break into a run towards whatever was that called his instincts.

He didn't know what it was but he knew it meant something good, his instincts told him so.

As a daiyoukai he hadn't relied on his instincts at all, he had referred to them as pathetic reactions of lesser beings that those needed to survive. Intellect and experience, his powers and his mastership of them, all those things were the key to his success and not just his survival but his fulfilling life of conquering and domination. Having Rin over his back, feeling the air leaving her lungs in heavy pants and her pulse slowly decaying he willed his nerves to still and for his instincts to be sharp so he could actually do something for the frail beauty dangling limp over him.

And after minutes, seconds, that seemed to stretch into forever he realized at the sight before him that for once he had been right to relay on them…

For once he felt satisfied by those instincts and for the first time he actually didn't despise his new form since it had been good enough to bring Rin to safety. In front of him was a building, an old edifice of wood in the shape of a human temple, placing the almost unconscious woman over the wood planks of the outer side of the temple he was able to stretch and relax the bones and muscls of his shoulders while again his memory went back to the priestess they had met down the mountain. Again… that old bat had mentioned a temple which was supposed to be the place where the witch used to rest; the place had been abandoned and now it would be a good resting place for his Rin.

His…

The former daiyoukai couldn't pounder on his unbidden thought, he didn't have enough time as another "instinctual moment" passed by his sensitive ears and he turned around to see a young child standing in front of him, trembling from head to toe and despite the panic in her eyes trying to figure out a way to help the woman resting over the engawa of the building.

"Don't" Rin tried, having finally regained conscience. "His my friend… he won't hurt you"

The small female human shook her head as if trying to deny Rin's words but didn't move from her place.

Brave… The wolf admitted as he looked at the little speck of life shaking but refusing to back down from her possible death. Just like Rin. He continued his train of thought and remembered the first time they had met, long time ago. He had been injured and had possibly meant no harm to the kid, but still, it must have required a great deal of bravery to reach him and even more so… or delusion to pretend to help him when she herself wasn't in the best of conditions.

Rin was always very kind, but also very naïve and perhaps a little delusional…

Considering the girl's fear Sesshomaru chose to sit and turned to look at Rin who smiled and moved her hand towards the wooden floor of the temple in a sign for him to lie down. He considered again the girl's fear and the insulting action the woman was asking him to perform as if he were nothing but a common house dog but sensed he couldn't deny the request if he wished the young human to help. So he, ever so slowly bend his knees and folded his legs beneath him as he gracefully descended to lie over the forest ground and then rested his head on his front paws in a display of obedience.

"You see… he won't hurt me, or you, little girl"

Sesshomaru had to swallow hard as he tried not to bare his teeth at the child, not even a teen. Her hair was dark but not like Rin's, the girl had short hair, black as night and straight like a bamboo shoot, she was also thin and had lanky limbs. She didn't look malnourished but he could tell she wasn't well fed either. The question about her presence on the forest had come up immediately the moment he saw her but his instincts had gone against harming the human, and after a sniff or two he have been able to tell there was nothing fishy about her. Then Rin had smiled at him, he could only imagine the other had noticed the energy the little one had surrounding her.

"You're an acolyte, aren't you?" Rin asked suddenly.

"An ac… ac… ac-acolyte, my lady?" the youngster asked still trembling but now confident enough to talk as she approached Rin walking crab like, close to the temple's engawa.

"You've been taken here to guard and care for the temple, right?"

"Y-yes" she admitted but then shuddered trying to clamp her mouth shut when a scream tried to get passed it as her position got bite-close to the dangerous animal. Said bundle of fur couldn't help but feel slightly pleased by her reaction. That's how it was supposed to be after all. He was a deadly demon after all… was… a voice in the back of his mind reminded him and he growled low, trying to keep the sound from the girl but still feeling annoyed by the reminder of his own lack of power.

Finally she made it to Rin and after a moment of watching her fiddle in doubt Rin decided to move slowly towards the nearest wall, coming to rest sitting against the old structure. It made a cracking sound with the pressure she placed on it but nothing happened so Rin let out a sigh of relief while one of her hands tried to fix her clothes arranging the folds around her legs and stomach.

"You… y-you need help… r-right?" the little kid managed to stutter again and Rin smiled weakly.

"Afraid so… I came to help with the demons around this place… but was affected by the fog last night…" stopping for a moment in her tracks, as if she had remembered something of importance she looked down at her hands and breathed a second sigh of relief "yet… I don't know how, but just sitting here I feel so much better… lighter… somewhat"

The girl moved up towards Rin until she was in front of her and sat down folding her legs properly beneath her in a perfect posture, except for her hands resting impatiently on her lap. "This place is surrounded by the witches magic… she protects it even after her death… even after she woke up and left, I'm what's left and I cannot leave this place…" she started but couldn't continue feeling uneasy the moment she saw the white wolf was staring, head lifted up, eyes fixated on her as if listening. Rin smiled knowingly and with a hand waved at the animal to bow down again, which he did, not before he growled this time making it clearer for both females.

"Death?" Rin cut the panicked looked on the girl's face with her question "I thought she hadn't been killed" It helped getting the girl to ignore Sesshomaru, and after thinking for a moment the little girl seemed to find the answer to her question and smiled as she talked "She… she was, my lady, she was killed by a powerful youkai a long time ago… they said it was the first witch to appear in this forest but her spirit remained in the temple until she reincarnated and returned to dwell in the woods and… and then she went to sleep... after another youkai came to see her…"

"You know the story?" Rin interrupted gently and the other nodded slowly "S-she told me… she said she was bored just been alone so she would tell me a secret"

The girl moved towards the wood planks behind Rin and after a moment of hesitation she knocked on the planks and gave a blessing. Sesshomaru looked curious and still a little wary of the child. He was shocked slightly when he saw the girl now push the upper border of a plank making it give in leaving a small box big enough for the kid to get both hands in, she pulled a tray with a tea pot and two tea cups. Then she proceeded to serve the hot tea equally in both teacups, pushing one towards Rin and the other lifting it to her lips as if to prove it wasn't poisoned. Sesshomar didn't feel so comfortable with the "mysterious" beverage but it wasn't something he would discuss now that the little human was their savior.

Saved by a human… how disgusting. Then again, it wasn't he who had been saved by the acolyte but Rin… so, why did he feel so… in debt to the creature?

"If it's a secret, you won't be sharing it with me, right?" Startled by his companions words he turned again to look at the pair from his position in front. The young acolyte smiled nervously and sipped again from her cup.

"The witch said I could tell it to only one more person… but it had to be the first person to ask about her"

Strangely convenient…

"I'm asking about the witch" Rin insisted and Sesshomaru raised his head in question. He didn't like this one bit; he didn't trust the witch and her sleight, he couldn't trust the little kid either.

Too perfect… to find her here, alone, a safe haven, the information they needed…

"My name is Kiriko, I lived in the village bellow the mountains, a few days from here… my family lived there even before the first witch appeared and they used to say that the witch was a woman who was crossed by her lover, a powerful youkai who abandoned her because she wasn't strong enough to be with him" she placed her cup down and fixed her eyes on the wooden floor in front of her "They said she was furious with him so she cursed him… but the cursed bounced back on her too… damning her to live a long life of suffering for her hatred"

Rin pushed her own empty cup down and towards the other's range of vision, asking for more tea. Sesshomaru suddenly had the idea this looked like any other casual visit to a friend. Perhaps that was the priestess plan.

"I didn't believe in the story but my mom was good at telling it…" she smiled as she poured the liquid into the cup "then it happened… a lord from nearby lands, a human lord, said the witch was real and that a lot of youkais were gathering to take her down and take her power from her… the story claimed that another powerful youkai could take her powers for himself but it had to be worthy of them and prove his worth by slaying the witch in fair battle but the humans were scared because of the strange things that were happening around the forest… people disappearing and crops were getting sick… they didn't know what to do, so this lord said that the village had to send a young girl, someone to take care of the old temple, that the witch wouldn't hurt the child and would protect us from the youkai who came to attack her… so they sent me"

A lonely tear fell down her cheek to her lip and Rin reached down to wipe it from her face.

"They paid my parents to let me go… and so I was brought here, but those who brought me didn't go back… I heard them scream as they were attacked by other youkai. After that happened the witch appeared in front of me… I was crying and scared"

Sesshomaru saw a change in the little girl's demeanor, now there was something fierce and strong in her eyes.

Determination?

"She said I was pure hearted and so she wouldn't hurt me, she said I had to stay here in the woods and take care of her temple, specially the mirror through which she sees the world but if I ever tried to leave her magic wouldn't protect me from the demons… I would never make it down the mountain" Hate perhaps… "I was scared and I didn't know what else to do so I accepted and… she put the fog here… she made the fog to scare or trap demons in the forest, even humans. She said the fog obeyed her but she could only use it during nights of clear sky"

Looking up Sesshomaru noticed the grey color of the sky, it was morning and the day felt cold yet humid, perhaps a good preparation for the fog that would come later that day.

"Which is why the crops aren't growing, she's keeping the skies clear at night and clouded during the day… it makes it difficult for the villagers to keep anything in the fields"

Kiriko frowned and looked the other way angered.

"I told her it wasn't good but she said it was how it was supposed to be"

The wolf grunted agreeing with the emotion playing in the little girl's face. That was something he had actually enjoyed of little Rin whenever she would express herself, she was truthful with each thing she said and every time she expressed herself. There was no way his little Rin would've kept quiet about anything she felt… so… why would she hide her feeling from him now? Why did she hide her feelings during those last days they spent together? He knew there was something there he couldn't quite catch but it seemed to have been of real importance to the human since it was enough for her to hide it from her master and caretakers.

"She told me about the youkai… the one who came before she came to sleep"

Youkai…?

"She spoke to me the night before he came, said she was expecting visitors and that she would only let them pass in a line to where she was resting up the mountain and deep in the forest. She said I would be fine but I was to watch them pass and remember their faces forever…"

"You saw… them?" Now it was turn for Rin's face to light with a fierce emotion he couldn't really understand, was she excited about the news? Those youkai… she had seen, were him and his father?

"They were two inu demons… one big one and one small one"

Father…

"Sesshomaru…"

"Yes… that was the young one's name"

"The young one?"

There was even hope and a pleased sound to the voice of his companion, making him wander back to the dream he had enjoyed the night before. Against his will, of course, because he had no intention of holding such a memory… or accepting the fact that it was something he wanted to repeat… or… better said, do so in real life, which of course, he had no intention or desire of doing.

"Yes… he was maybe… my age…? In inu… age… I think…" her slim finger went to her lip while she thought "He called the other demon father but I couldn't hear what they were talking… they were so beautiful and even I could tell they were strong… they didn't stop, they didn't see me, they didn't even sense me… so I watched them go from inside the temple until they disappeared between the trees" the child was mildly excited too, perhaps infected by Rin's reaction to her story "The witch told me afterwards that she made a deal with the youkai, that she was going to sleep in the mirror for many years… I can't remember how many… until his son was old enough to claim their deal and so then… she would call for the son to come to her and they would settle the debt…"

"Debt?" This time Rin frowned, bewildered by the idea of Sesshomaru's father giving his son as payment of a debt.

Debt?

"What do you mean debt?"

"I don't know… the witch never told me much about it, she simply said that the youkai would grow and that he would come back after she woke up and she went to sleep… the forest was quiet and calm while she was in the mirror… I couldn't leave anyway… so I took care of the mirror like she asked me to… until one night after so many she came out of the mirror and said the same thing she had said before, that she was waiting for a visitor and that I was to watch him go up the trail to where she would be waiting but when I saw him he wasn't a kid… he wasn't like me either, for some reason I didn't grow like he did, but he did, he was tall and handsome and very strong, he killed many demons on his path and I was so scared… but again he didn't see me and he didn't sense me"

"Sounds like Sesshomaru alright…" Rin interrupted with a mocking grin on her face that made her wolf companion growl in annoyance, she turned to him for a minute to acknowledge his reaction seeming puzzled by it but after a moment of consideration she dismissed whatever idea she had had and went back to the girl signaling with her right hand to continue the story.

"What happened to him? Did you see him leave the forest? Did he talk to the witch?"

The little one shook her head and her eyebrows got together in concern.

"I saw him disappear through the woods but I didn't see him reach the witch, I cannot see her from this place… and I didn't see him come down either… when he came the first time I did… they came back on the same trail but the second…. When he came alone… I couldn't see him… so I thought"

Silence settled between them

"She collected…" until Rin broke the spell with a couple croaked words. She chocked on them before she could say them and had to take a hand to her chest as if to force them out.

I'm not dead… Sesshomaru felt panic settle in the pit of his stomach when he saw the dim light of insanity shine in the eyes of his Rin.

"The bastard offered his son's life?!" now angered she nearly screamed as she got up from her place against the wall, staggering and flailing in her attempt to walk. Immediately the wolf stood too and moved closer to her but Rin didn't pay attention to the animal, instead she was looking into the forest, as if focusing hard enough through them she could see the creature she was hunting. A vicious air settled on her energy and for a moment Sesshomaru felt as if something like youki was gathered inside her closed fists. "That bastard… offered?!" she couldn't continue her sentence, chocking again on her own words, looking pretty much like she had looked that morning, sick and desperate "Sesshomaru…"

No… Rin! Why did I ever leave you behind? Why did I ever go visit that wrenched creature from hell?! The human emotions he had tried to keep at bay and bottled were coming out, creeping out, clawing out from inside him like a tidal wave of chaos. It was threatening him with actions he wouldn't be able to control.

The air that hit him then was cold and tasted bitter to the ex-youkai lord, this wasn't good.

"I will kill her…" she said between clenched teeth and then she faced the little girl trembling beside her "I will stop her and once I do I will come back for you… take you to your village"

Stop this nonsense Rin! He growled in warning but neither of them heard him. I will not allow you to endanger your life!

There was desperation on her words and for a moment he could tell there was also loneliness in them too. She had remembered something of her past and if it had been before he would have sworn she had remembered the death of her parents but now he could only think of how she felt when he didn't come back, when he broke his promise, leaving her for good.

"No… don't… it's okey…" the other answered with an even voice. Apparently he wasn't the only one to notice the change in her voice and the quivering tone of her promise; the girl was now smiling softly as she got closer, taking the hands of the slayer in her own. "As you can tell… I've been here for hundreds of years… it's not like I don't age… or it's not like I'm anything like those youkais and can live forever… no… I'm just human but here, in this old cabin time stands still… I've come to realize that from this place I can only see the same sky and the same moon and the same stars… nothing changes around me as I don't change… if I come out… time will come back for me and I will die…"

"Don't you rather go outside and live for a while at least?" Rin tried to convince her.

"Everyone I love is dead… I don't remember how my village looks… how food tastes… or what living outside these walls is… I'm afraid this is all I know… this is all I can ever be"

"Why…" the brown haired girl pleaded a question

"Go… if you want to go to her… go" Moving towards the edge on the engawa, seemingly unaffected by the dangerous animal dangerously close she positioned herself better to point at the entrance to the forest, the trail Sesshomaru had followed when he came for the first time "The road is up there, if you've come this far then the witch wants to see you like she saw those other youkais"

What are you going to do now, Rin?

"Go straight and don't stop, the feelings of illness will come back the moment you look back so don't"

"Kiriko…" she sighed

What are you going todo, Rin? Do you pretend to avenge me little human?

"I will see you when you come down… just be careful" the other promised

Do you pretend to avenge me? You… far weaker than I was

"I will be… thanks"

Rin…

Humans were a race that didn't make any sense to him. They were weak, frail, mortal and yet many of those he had met during his travels, his life had thrived in the middle of peril, had been more than welcoming to the mysteries death brought. The monk had lived wishing to avenge his own father and had eventually joined Inuyasha to defeat the hanyo Naraku as well as the demon slayer woman whose professioned demanded she risked her life for a price, for the safety of humans who feared her more than appreaciate what she did, even the woman, the human from another time Inuyasha had fallen for, wasn't she from a peaceful time? Hadn't she lived in comfort and security before she came to this time and place? Then why would she chose to remain here, fight alongside his half blood brother? Why would she choose this life of fear, war, despair, when she could've been just fine somewhere else?

Why would Rin choose to endanger her own life for him? Why had she tried to heal him back then? Follow him? Live near him? Be remembered by him? Why would a human feel more comfortable with him, a youkai who had made it painfully clear he hated her race than with her own kin? Why did she care if he was alive or not?

"It's love… isn't it?" a voice entered his chaotic thoughts, forcing him back to reality and to the couple in front of him a few steps one from the other. "You wouldn't go… kill… go to her… if you weren't in love with him"

The priestess-slayer didn't budge from her position on the edge on the engawa. She had been ready to jump down to the ground and be on her way after saying their goodbyes when their savior had spoken up in a timid voice, loud enough for them to hear. Then she had stopped dead in her tracks, shaking as if a shiver had run up her spine.

"You love that Sesshomaru… youkai, right?" the girl insisted now with a smile.

Seconds were ticking away as if they were hours, the former demon felt his tongue dry, his paws and claws digging into the dirt beneath them, his tail stopped in mid air from a swish, his eyes dead set in the human female he had been sharing the night sky and the earthly bed bellow them for many nights. He felt as if his heart wouldn't be able to take a second more waiting for the answer… as if the answer alone could calm down the madness he had been feeling since he woke up from the spell the witch had used on him. As if the answer alone could calm a lifelong loneliness he hadn't realized he had lived… as if the answer alone was all he needed to live.

"Sesshomaru-sama…" she corrected and surprised both wolf and child "I used to call him that"

"Killing her won't bring him back…" the young one said still smiling softly

"Maybe not… but there's nothing more I can do"

Kiriko's black molten eyes felt warm as they looked straight at Rin's dark brown ones, it was as if the little girl was trying to pass on her own emotions to the priestess, as if trying to console her with her own feelings. Humans were indeed curious… and made no sense to him, but he was grateful since the anger in the young woman went down just looking at her.

"Let's go" Rin signaled him and jumped down to walk up the path, into the woods.

"Itterashaii" they heard back at the temple

"Ittekimasu" she responded in earnest.

Rin…

His legs moved, his ears listened, his nose sniffed, his entire body tuned to the environment around him, to the creatures, the plants even the air surrounding them but his mind couldn't pay attention to any of that, the only thing in his mind was the answer…

She loves me…

No matter how he tried he couldn't ignore the words mixed with the warmth they had shared in that dream he now, more than ever, wished to have come true.

.

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A/N: Yey! A little bit of info regarding the old bat we've been hunting... I love seeing Sesshy act so unlike himself like this... althou... I know it sounds soooooo AU just keep in mind that he's actually not himself anymore, he doesn't have the control he used to have therefore he doesn't react outside as he used to, everything he feels he will reflect like any other mortal... or crazy person... anyway... PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK...!