Bound by Privilege
This story is not for profit. It is purely fanfiction. I don't claim any ownership of the manga or anime Inuyasha, the original story, or the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 13
Rin reached out to the nightstand, hearing the notification from her phone. She'd let a sigh slip through as it was another request for her to make her way back to The Lily to approve designs for an upcoming line. For the last few days, she'd ignored the notifications and the work that awaited her. Sesshoumaru's condition gave her more of a reason to extend their break. Hearing another notification, she put the phone on silent, resting her hand again over his. Despite the injury and even in his sleep, Sesshoumaru didn't fail to safeguard her. His willingness to stay close during these last few nights was also his attempt to put her fears at ease that he would give himself ample time to heal without attempting to return to the rings.
Sesshoumaru woke to Rin turning to him placing a quick peck on his lips and letting them linger close. The little wrinkle across her nose grew as her cheeks rose from her smile. Sesshoumaru was sure that there was no better way to wake up. Her lips brushed his again and he'd immediately given in to the invitation, bringing her into him, kissing her, and at the same moment wondering how she managed to fit into his arms so perfectly.
"Good morning."
"Very."
"How are you feeling?"
"Never better."
"I have to go to the Lily and approve some designs but it shouldn't take me long."
"I'll come with you."
"No. You stay here. Rest."
"I'm fine."
Sesshoumaru recognized the incredulous look on Rin's face, lifting an eyebrow as she stood from the bed.
"That was what you told me three nights ago when I wasn't sure how you were still standing in the kitchen."
Sesshoumaru smirked, nodding at the point Rin was making and the response was justified.
"Honest. I'm healed."
"Prove it."
Standing, Sesshoumaru pulled the shirt from overhead and turned even as she'd motioned for him to do so, pulling his hair over his shoulder to expose his back.
Rin could still see the scar but was relieved that the wound was completely closed. She was careful, placing her hand against his back. The tension and pain she feared she would inflict by doing so was non-existent.
"Does this hurt?"
"No."
Sesshoumaru relaxed into her touch. Even in that short time frame, he missed this. Rin's touch was never meant to cause harm and he knew that she never would.
"What about here?"
Sesshoumaru smirked, turning to her as she placed her hands against his arms and asked again as he shook his head before her hands moved to his shoulders and finally wrapped her arms around his neck. He picked her up, kissing her to give her an answer.
"Hmm, I guess you can come with me."
...
Jaken watched the two of them at the doorway of His Lady's office. Even as she told Sesshoumaru she would meet him in half an hour they were struggling not to flirt with each other. Sesshoumaru's gentle squeeze of Rin's arm and her leaning into him was hardly subtle. Jaken was sure that if they kept going like this, any attempt to keep this out of the public for the time being wasn't going to be possible. It was apparent that they would not manage to keep their hands off of each other long enough.
The designs lay on Rin's desk untouched even as Jaken waited for her to make a decision. She'd intended to do so quickly, picking her top two and moving forward with the materials. Doing so proved more difficult than she imagined. Her thoughts were distracting. Sesshoumaru's ability to heal so rapidly should have been a relief and yet it was concerning. It only meant that he would try to return to the rings quickly. Sesshoumaru tried to comfort her in the last few days. Rin closed her eyes, reminiscing on the promise he made to tell her when he was leaving to go into a fight. Even as he'd said it her hopes remained high that he would never have to step into another unsanctioned fight again. It was easier for her to dive into finding out as much information as she could about the sanctioned fights. In doing so, she'd reached out to Miroku. If Sesshoumaru agreed to what she was thinking, she would need the fixer on board immediately. Her celebrity status would never render her able to participate in the unsanctioned world. Someone would eventually find out and it was a wonder that no one made an association with Sesshoumaru other than Takemaru. However, Rin guessed that anyone willing to step forward and give Sesshoumaru away would likely have to answer for themselves as well. She looked down at her phone again tapping the screen nervously only to find that there were no messages and no missed phone calls. She awaited a response from Miroku that never came.
"Um, My Lady?"
"Sorry, Jaken. Take those two."
"Pardon me, but is everything alright?"
"No. I'm worried about Sesshoumaru. Maybe I'm being selfish but I don't want to lose him."
Jaken's expression saddened at Rin's tone. He wasn't blind. He could see Rin and Sesshoumaru falling for each other. She was always so happy with him around and despite Sesshoumaru's guarded nature, he was quite the opposite when he was around Rin. She could evoke a laugh or a smile that he wasn't even sure the dog demon knew existed.
"He would be crazy not to want to stay with you My Lady."
Rin sat and gave a half smile understanding that Jaken was still oblivious to the gravity of their situation. There was no way for him to know. The knock on her door broke her of her concentration and she looked up to see Miroku.
"Miss Luna, it's good to see you again. I hope that you're fairing well." Miroku exchanged pleasantries, watching Jaken exit before pushing the door up behind him.
"As well as I can."
Miroku sat across from her. Studying her as she waited for him to respond.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting. Your text to me was about an interest in a new hobby?"
"Yes."
Miroku leaned forward and continued in a hushed tone.
"Luna a new hobby is making a small wager, watching the scores of fights, picking your favorite team, not participating in the Rings as a handler."
"Good news, I hope?"
Miroku sighed, seeing the look of indifference on Rin's face. Whatever brought her to this point was serious and there would be no changing her mind. He would have his work cut out for him if this went left.
"Yes. Probably better than you'd expect."
Miroku placed a band on her desk.
"No. It's not an option. I'm not asking him to register."
"I had to do a lot of digging into the sanctioned rules. Undoubtedly, a rogue demon is allowed to fight under a temporary band. Most don't know about it or ignore it altogethr because of the price tag associated with obtaining it. Unlike registration, it does not record their whereabouts or use of power and it is only used within the venue of the fights. But like the permanent registration, it purifies demons while they're wearing it, meaning that the ring is the only place within the venue where they can use their power. Outside the venue, they're back to normal. As a handler, you would be responsible for entering your team into fights and stopping them. Most handlers leave their fighters to their own decisions in the ring but sometimes coaching, or activating external aids like barriers, is necessary."
"How much can a team win from a fight?"
"The payout can be exponential compared to other means depending on how much you wager."
"Let's say I needed my team to win 100 fights by other means. What would it be in the sanctioned arena?"
"Nine or ten at most."
Rin nodded, taking the band in her hand and contemplating what this would mean.
"Luna, whatever is going on, don't do this."
"If you knew the full story, you'd be asking me not to care, and I can't do that.
Miroku nodded, understanding her feelings.
"Be careful."
...
Sesshoumaru appreciated the privacy of the gym space which looked more like a parkour obstacle course. He wasn't sure why Rin had it. Sesshoumaru smirked thinking of Rin attempting to take up the activity. He would never put it past her but the hobby just didn't seem like her style. The joy of the thought also seemed to bring about heartache. Promising Rin that he would inform her about the fights still didn't sit well. He could envision her staying up, worrying the same way he'd seen his mother watching his father go off for another fight. Just as it was in the moment he'd made her the promise, there would be tears in those eyes that silently begged him to stay and he wasn't sure if he would be able to turn her down. In doing so, he put the two of them in even more danger by encouraging Takemaru to find them, and, what would become of that? Sesshoumaru tried to shake those thoughts while testing out his abilities without it being blatantly obvious that he was using his powers. He'd moved quickly from one apparatus to another. It was fluid and easy. The pain and soreness in his back were gone and he felt like new.
"You were right. You seem to be healed."
Rin approached him as he jumped down from one of the platforms before sitting back on it.
"Yeah."
"I should sound happier about it but I also realize what that may mean to you. It's only a matter of time before you go back again."
"I'll go back when I have to, but you know it's not because I want to."
Rin closed her eyes, feeling his hands rest on her hips.
"If you had an option not to go back to the unsanctioned fights? Would you choose it?
"If there was one, yes."
"I asked Miroku to give me as much information as he could on the sanctioned side. You know, like I do, that being on a team makes it safer for you during a fight. So, what if we were a team?"
"That's not going to work."
"I know that this would not be possible in the unsanctioned world but it's a sporting hobby on the sanctioned side. It's not frowned upon and it's safer for both of us. You'd still be earning money from the rings."
"You're forgetting something all too important. I can't fight in sanctioned fights because I'm rogue."
"Actually, you can."
Rin could see Sesshoumaru fighting with the information that Miroku relayed to her about the band and she wondered if the association would be too much for him to overcome.
"It's temporary...?"
"Yes. I would never do to you what Takemaru did to your parents."
While the thought of his freedom lingered, the closer he'd become to Rin the more that he wanted her to stay away from this side of his life. The rules for the sanctioned fights were more restrictive for a reason and the moment he agreed to this he was putting the responsibility onto someone else.
"Sanctioned or not, this would involve you directly and it's still too dangerous. Takemaru uses the people I care about...the people I love against me. I can't bear to think of what he might try to do to you."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take for someone I love. I can't accept going to bed at night and wondering if you're going to make it back to me alive. I won't."
Sesshoumaru allowed the softness of Rin's arms as he held her to him. Taking in the sweetness of her scent and hearing the tears that hung in her voice, he questioned his ability to deny her. The answer came as quickly as he would have to finish every fight to bring Takemaru's threats to an end. There was no question that Rin was his weakness and his strength.
A/N: To answer a previous review: None of the characters of Inuyasha/Yashahime are off-limits to this story. However, it will remain Sesshoumaru/Rin-centric. Thanks again for continuing to read and review!