45 Perfect
Perfect is the word demons often use to describe him. Regardless of they say, he knows himself that he is far from perfect (he is brutal, unkind, cold, manipulative, perverse, obnoxious… he could go on and on). Ever since she came into his life, he sees more clearly than before how that is the case.
Far from perfect is what demons often say about her. He knows too how some things they say could rightfully be regarded as flaws. Yet she is perfect to him and there is nothing about her that he would want to change.
Sometimes she makes him wish that he could be more perfect.
If only she knows.
46 Stirring
Demons don't love – as their first instinct is to kill and destroy. If he knows how to love, it is because she taught him how.
Demons don't kiss – as kissing is a sign of intimate affection and demons don't love. If he knows how kiss, it is because she showed him how.
Emotions don't come naturally to demons – as emotions are signs of sentiment and demons don't love. The more perfect the demon, the lesser the emotions. If he has emotions, it is because she has stirred his heart.
There is confusion, there is fear – when old convictions wear off along the way and new ones comes along, there is insecurity, uncertainty and the strange feeling of being at a loss because this – is something logic could not ascertain him.
When she comes back to him at a point that he thought he had lost her a few years down the road, when she uses her finger to trace those wounds imperceptible by sight and soothes his hurt with her kisses, it finally strikes him – that this is where he wants to be.
47 Not so innocent
Gently, he cups her cheek with his palm and directs her face close to his. "I love you," he whispers into her ears. "Come and live with me. I'll make you happy, I promise." He leans down and kisses her on her lips. It lasts for a few seconds before she gets a hold of herself and pushes him away.
Regarding him sadly, she shakes her head.
"Why?" confusion asperates his voice.
She opens her mouth slightly as if wanting to say something but no words come out. Dismayed, she looks away.
"Why do you always let him do this to you?"
"What do you mean?" she furrows her brows in incomprehension.
"Sesshomaru-sama is going to take some demon that he considers worthy of him to be his wife isn't he? Then why is he not letting you go? Why is he so selfish as to choose to keep you chained by his side? Why does he have to string you along like that? Since he has made up his mind he should let you go"
He grabs her by her lower arm. "You always let him do this to you."
"Kohaku," she shakes her head. "You must know that I'm really not so innocent."
(Story B)
48 Consequence
(Continued from #38 Misgiving & to be continued with #49 Weakness)
Zesshinmaru: Surely you didn't think that your dear Gobodou-sama had allowed you to stay here because she is doing her previous son a favor?
(Zesshinmaru sniggers.)
Zesshinmaru: Oh, how innocent! You actually thought that your Gobodou-sama is that nice to take you in for the sake of taking you in? Do you actually think that Osuke (大典、オオスケ)-sama is going to let a human jeopardize our lineage?
(He glides his tongue over his teeth.)
Zesshinmaru: Osuke-sama indulged in Sesshomaru's request and took you in because she thought that it would be best for everyone if Sesshomaru's fascination for human was allowed wear thin with time. But…
(He snorts.)
Zesshinmaru: A decade has since passed and Sesshomaru is still obsessed with you. It wasn't too bad when you initially came here, as you were very young then. However, now that you are all grown up, if Sesshomaru continues to stay this obsessed with you, it seems inevitable that he would end up doing something detriment to himself and to the clan if someone doesn't interfere.
(He points a finger at Rin.)
Zesshinmaru: You have been causing us a lot of anxiety, Rin-chan.
(He smugly looks at her.)
Zesshinmaru: When the human boy came into the picture, it was too good an opportunity to miss. I just had to hint to him, he came for you without hesitating.
(Rin glares at Zesshinmaru.)
Rin: Zesshinmaru-sama, are you implying that Gobodou-sama instigated what happened today?
Zesshinmaru: Rin-chan, you can't afford to be too naïve living among us demons.
(She narrows her eyes.)
Sesshomaru-sama's hahagimi (mother) wouldn't be this despicable.
Rin: How dare you malign Gobodou-sama with such a cheap insinuation? Zesshinmaru-sama, are you tired of living?
(Edges of Zesshinmaru's mouth upturn slightly.)
Zesshinmaru: It's the truth that Osuke-sama wouldn't think twice if she has to sacrifice you.
(Rin snorts.)
I won't believe a word that you say.
Rin: I'm touched by your concern.
(Zesshinmaru runs his tongue along his teeth.)
Zesshinmaru: You know, I wasn't supposed to tell you all these. Osuke-sama wouldn't be pleased to know that I've been talking to you, but I thought it would be more merciful to let you know the truth.
(His eyes widen.)
Zesshinmaru: After I've had so much fun seeing Sesshomaru's expression, I thought it would be a pity if I miss the fun of seeing yours!
(He smirks. Rin's breathing hastens.)
You are actually entertaining yourself with our tribulation?
Rin: Why are you doing this Zesshinmaru-sama? What's your problem with me? I know my place here, I'm not obstructing you in any way and I'm not asking for any title or status for wanting to stay with Sesshomaru-sama, why are you picking on me? Why do you demons despise me so much? Is it merely because I am human? Or is it because you need to feel good about yourselves?
(Zesshinmaru reaches for his neck.)
Zesshinmaru: My problem with you is that you are the reason that my neck is burnt like this! You wretched lass – you and Sesshomaru that knave – are the cause of my misery. You have no idea the kind of agony I have to endure because of this wound.
Did Sesshomaru-sama do that to him?
(Rin's eyes searches the ground for few moments.)
Sesshomaru-sama told me once that he "saw to it" that Zesshinmaru would stop harassing me… he probably confronted Zesshinmaru with force and in the event burnt his neck with the acidic poison that he emits. Somehow, the wound is not able to heal properly. Looks like even a youkai like Zesshinmaru is not immune to poisons like Sesshomaru-sama.
49 Weakness
Zesshinmaru: Well, that is just my personal feud with you and Sesshomaru. As a demon, I guess it is only natural to frown at your association with Sesshomaru. Oh yes, we've been through this many times – how you are a lowly human and Sesshomaru is a great demon with noble blood flowing through his veins, and therefore your presence is… inappropriate.However, the truth is that it is really not such a disaster that he wants to keep you as pet. In fact, Sesshomaru can keep as many human pets like you as he likes for all we care – but when he is keeping you as his only pet, it becomes a problem.
(Zesshinmaru licks his teeth with his tongue.)
Zesshinmaru: You and I – we are similar. The reason that you want to stay by Sesshomaru's side is the same as mine for following Osuke-sama. I need Osuke-sama's favor to secure a footing among the great demons the same way you need Sesshomaru's protection for your survival. It is common for powerful aristocratic demons like Osuke-sama and Sesshomaru to have a number of "interests" like us for entertainment, therefore if Sesshomaru wants to keep a couple of humans for amusement, no one would arch an eyebrow. However, Osuke-sama is not fixated on me likewise the way Sesshomaru is obsessed with you. I am just one of Osuke-sama's tools, as much as I may be in her favor today, she would dispose of me tomorrow if I displease her in any way. But you –
(He sizes her up for a few moments.)
Zesshinmaru: I don't think anyone could ever understand Sesshomaru – why someone like him would be obsessed with something like you.
(Rin frowns.)
Rin: Sesshomaru-sama isnot obsessed with me.
(Zesshinmaru laughs.)
Zesshinmaru: Not obsessed with you? For the past few centuries, it was a rarity for 'his highness' to set foot in his mother's palace that I didn't even know how he looks like. Ever since you started living here eight years ago, he is here so often that some of us actually thinks that he is living here. Not obsessed with you? Rin-chan, are you trying to humor me?
(Rin stares at him.)
Rin: He is not obsessed with me. He is just concerned…
(Zesshinmaru laughs even louder.)
Zesshinmaru: If he weren't obsessed with you, he wouldn't have walked out of his own wedding today after seeing you and your human boy intimate with each other.
(He feels his teeth with his tongue.)
Zesshinmaru: When someone in the position of power like Sesshomaru shows any indication of being soft on something considered so unworthy by our standards as yourself, his judgment is bound to be questioned. If Sesshomaru is to hold on to influence, he needs the support of the other aristocrats. It is no secret that the nobles have all along disapproved of your presence, yet he struggles to keep you for the past decade.
(Rin breaks eye contact and looks down.)
Zesshinmaru: While it is common for someone like him to form alliances through marriages, it has been abnormal in the way he procrastinate it, especially for a very much sought after beautiful perfect daiyoukai like him. Before you came along, Sesshomaru had been putting off his first marriage as he was determined to first acquire Tessaiga. So many years had passed since he acquired his sword, yet he still hadn't acceded to any marriage alliances until lately. It is no wonder that Osuke-sama was perturbed.
(She looks up sharply.)
Rin: Zesshinmaru-sama, if you are implying that I am the reason that Sesshomaru-sama had refused to honor marriage alliances in the past, you must be either mad or very unintelligent to exaggerate my importance like this. Do you truly think that someone as scrupulous as Sesshomaru-sama would allow anyone or anything to affect his decisions?
(Zesshinmaru slides his tongue along his teeth and grins.)
Zesshinmaru: The thing is that everyone believes that you were the reason. When you were living in the Western lands, the nobles had already considered you a threat to the stability of our clan, or else why would they plot to have you dead eight years ago?
(Rin frowns.)
Rin: What are you talking about?
Zesshinmaru: If Sesshomaru's foundation falters among the demons, it would not just be the undermining of his position, the whole clan would be implicated. Hence when Sesshomaru refused to establish alliances through marriages, the nobles felt that you were the impediment, so they plotted to get rid of you eight years ago the same way Osuke-sama schemed to remove you from Sesshomaru today. Therefore you shouldn't take it too hard that Osuke-sama tries to break up the both of you, it's nothing personal. If it didn't happen today it would have happened eventually since Sesshomaru is not coming to his senses in his own terms. Perhaps you should be thankful that Osuke-sama didn't resort to liquidating you. Eight years ago everyone believed that you would surely die. I heard that they used something really lethal on you – even a demon like me could die from its effect and there was no known antidote to it. There was quite a commotion when Sesshomaru showed up two months later asking Osuke-sama to take you in. No one could believe that you survived the ordeal. Now that we are speaking of this, even I am curious – how did Sesshomaru save you?
(Her eyes flicker.)
Rin: What are you talking about? Did someone really try to kill me?
(Zesshinmaru raises his eyebrow.)
Zesshinmaru: Oh? You have no recollection of the episode?
(He narrows his eyes.)
Zesshinmaru: Why do you think Sesshomaru sent you here instead of keeping you by his side in his own territory in the West?
(He snickers.)
Zesshinmaru: Sesshomaru sent you here – because he could not protect you in his own territory that's why.
(Rin's stance perceptibly falters.)
Zesshinmaru: As long as Sesshomaru keeps you around, he would never be able to gain the kind of support he needs to build his empire.
Rin: Are you implicating that I should leave Sesshomaru-sama?
(Zesshinmaru runs his tongue along his teeth.)
Zesshinmaru: I am saying that you are the obstacle to his ascension to power.
(He sneers.)
Zesshinmaru: You know, it is not for nothing that you are known as Sesshomaru's weakness.
(Rin looks away.)
Zesshinmaru: I think I shall take my leave now and since we will not be seeing each other again, take care of yourself, Rin-chan. I think I will miss your sweet human scent around the palace.
(Zesshinmaru whistles as he walks away from Rin. When Zesshinmaru is out of sight, Rin reaches out for a pillar and leans on it.)
Is this why Sesshomaru-sama always avoids talking about the Western lands with me?
Jaken-sama too, always tries to change the subject when I talk about it. It is true, I can remember living in the Western lands with Sesshomaru-sama and Jaken-sama in the past, but I can't remember leaving. Sosonu (楚々瓊、ソソヌ)-sama…? Was she…?
Sesshomaru-sama, am I indeed your weakness?(Connection: #38-48-49; Story B)
Nearing #50 drabble… I didn't know that there are so many Sessrin themes to write! The next update should be soon.
Mood: pleased