don't own it

Once lunch was over Kimi stated that she had to go back to the house to do some house work. She asked Sesshomaru whether he and Rin wanted to come with her or stay with her father. Sesshomaru decided to return to her house so that Rin would not be a distraction.

Once they reached the house Rin offered to help Miki with the house work. The girl gladly accepted And Sesshomaru ordered Jaken to help the girls. The two chatted and worked together while Jaken grumbled about doing women's work. Sesshomaru sat in a corner sipping on more tea.

After a few hours he got up and went out side to look around. Rin wouldn't leave the house while he was gone. The boys were still away so he didn't have to worry.

Shortly after Sesshomaru left Kimi dumped some dingy water outside and asked Jaken if her would be kind enough to get some more. The imp complied grudgingly, knowing that he would be in trouble if he was rude to Rin's new friend.

Kimi waited until she knew the imp was gone then turned to Rin. "You like my little brother, don't you?"

"How did you know?" Rin asked, blushing slightly.

"It was fairly obvious at the river earlier. He is quite smitten with you as well. In fact he has barely shut up about you for five minutes." She informed Rin as she started to cut some veggetables.

Rin grabbed a knife and started cutting some carrots. "Daddy doesn't like him."

"He's probably just scared. He doesn't know Kenji well so he is afraid Kenji might hurt you."

"I know." Rin replied.

"He is probably afraid of losing you to. Your an only child, right? Do you have a mother?"

"No. It's just me, Daddy, and Jaken. Always has been."

"So your all he has. He is probably afraid he'll be second best if you fall in love. That you won't be Daddy's little girl any more."

"Why would he think something like that?"

"Because he is a man. Men are extremely insecure. You have to reassure them all the time that you still love them. My father told me on my wedding day that he felt like he was losing his daughter. It just takes a while for them to come to terms with the fact that their daughters have grown up."

"So you think my Daddy will calm down and get to like Kenji?"

"With time. Just let him know you still love him." She told the younger woman then started chopping an herb. And put the rice on to boil. All the men should be home soon.

Sesshomaru noted the position of the sun and realized that the men would be returning soon. He turned on his heel and started back to the house. He was curious about this town. There were signs that it had once been much larger than it was now.

Houses stood abandoned here and there and small family garden plots were over grown and untended. And when he passed the grave yard he noticed many markers that looked fairly new. Something bad had happened here.

As he walked he saw Kenji, Makoto, and Taro ahead of him. They didn't see him. A few village girls approached the group and tried to flirt with the boys.

Makoto stopped to speak with two of them but Kenji and Taro kept walking. One of the girls moved to stand in front of Kenji, flirting shamelessly while placing a hand on his arm. Kenji gently removed her hand from his arm and told her firmly that he liked someone else and to quit coming on to him. The girl pouted but Kenji ignored her pouting and he and his father kept walking.

Sesshomaru started once more to walk toward the house only to be spotted by the girls who started screaming about a youkai. The two talking with Makoto quickly jumped to hide behind him. Kenji and Taro turned swiftly with hands on their swords then smiled to see it was just Sesshomaru.

"Be quite." Taro scolded the girls. "This is Sesshomaru-sama. He is a guest in my house and you will show him some respect."

"Oh! We're sorry sir, we didn't know."

"It is o.k. Why don't you three go to the fields and inform the men so that they will not panic like you just did if they happen to meet my guest while I am absent."

"Yes sir." They replied bowing low then scurried off to follow his directions.

"The fields are a good distance, I'll escort them." Makoto told his father. Though every one knew he just wanted to continue speaking with the girls. So he headed out to the field with them and Sesshomaru walked with Taro and Kenji back to the house.

"Um, Sesshomaru-sama, may I speak with you for a moment?" Kenji asked as they reached the house. Taro stopped with his hand on the door and turned to look at the boy, as did Sesshomaru. He knew his son had something to say but gave the boy a look that said 'be careful'. Then he went inside to give them some privacy.

Kenji looked at the ground and kicked nervously at a small pebble. He looked so very young at the moment. More like a nervous little boy than a man.

"Sesshomaru-sama, I was thinking about the last time we spoke. I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what ever mis understanding there might have been. I know you just want to protect Rin. She's your daughter so you have to protect her. It's better to be over protective than not protective enough.

"And you don't know me. I wish you would trust me but like I said you don't know me. So you can't be sure if my intentions are honorable or not. But I was thinking, if You plan on being in the area for a while, maybe we could spend some time together. Go hunting or training or what ever and get to know one another."

Kenji gave him such an imploring look. Sesshomaru nodded just ever so slightly. "Perhaps." He told the boy then entered the dwelling with Kenji at his heels.

Sesshomaru sat next to Rin and Kenji sat on her other side. A several minutes later Makoto and Shiro came through the door joking and carrying on. Shiro gave his wife a quick kiss in greeting and then she served dinner.

After that they stayed up talking for a while before everyone decided to turn in for the night. Kenji offered to sleep in Makoto's room so Rin and Sesshomaru could have his. Sesshomaru decided Rin alone would sleep in that room.

This was much nicer than sleeping in those taverns. The walls at least were more solid but with his sensitive hearing Sesshomaru could still hear everything that was happening in the house.

A few hours after every one else had gone to sleep he could hear Kenji tossing restlessly. Then he heard Kenji get up and leave the house. When the boy didn't return promptly he got up to go find him.

He followed the boy's scent to the cemetery. Kenji was sitting near on of the newer grave markers talking. He got close enough to hear the boy with out being seen.

"...I just wish you could have met her mother. She is sweet, smart, funny. She's just so perfect. You would have loved her. The only problem is her father hates me. At least right now he does. I hope he'll change his mind once he gets to know me, because I really want him to like me. I know Rin likes me but her father will always be more important. If it comes down to me or him she'll choose her father. Which is how it should be. But I just love her so much. I just don't know what to do mother."

'Maybe this boy is an honorable man.' Sesshomaru thought as he listened to the young warrior praise Rin to his mother's silent grave. After a while the boy got up to leave, promising his mother's grave that he would visit again soon.