Chapter 25 - Refreshing

It was dusk when Sesshomaru finally returned to the river, with no external visible signs of his inner conflict. Tenseiga again rested securely at his side, silent in its way. His face remained expressionless, but inside, he felt hollow in the aftermath of his turbulence.

Rin sat upright, leaning against a tree. Sesshomaru's eyes focused on her as he approached. Her face was pale, but the heat of the fever no longer colored her skin. In her hands she held a bowl of something that Jaken must have provided. When she spied him, a smile lit her tired features.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You've returned."

Looking at her now, Sesshomaru was reminded again of how quickly time was passing. He had been faced with the first memories of her face. She was taller now, her face was beginning to lose the roundness of a young child, shifting toward the angularity of a youthful human. He didn't approve of time slipping by so quickly.

Slowly, he moved toward her. Jaken was asleep nearby, snoring, exhausted from his role as Rin's caretaker.

Lifting his hand, Sesshomaru bent to present her a fresh ripe melon. Rins lips formed a small "o" as she gazed at the green fruit. Her brown eyes lifted to his face in question.

"It's a melon." He said, filling the silence between them. "I thought you might like it."

As expected, a smile broke across her face. She set aside, what he now recognized the scent being some sort of fish stew. Reaching out she grasped the fruit and held it to her chest as if it were precious.

"Oh! Thank you my Lord!" Her small hands roamed the rind, before she looked up at him. "How do you open it?"

Her innocence was refreshing. A faint smile touched his lips as he reached out and pierced the rind with one of his claws. The melon split into two pieces in her lap, exposing the fleshy inner sweetness.

"It's one of my favorite fruits." He added. Then belatedly questioned why he would share such an impulsive thing.

Pleased, Rin broke one of the halves into pieces and offered him the largest portion. Amused, Sesshomaru moved to sit crosslegged and accepted the piece. Her brown eyes shifted to Jaken.

"I hate to wake Master Jaken right now… but I'll save him a piece for later."

In silence, they shared the mildly sweet fruit together. The moon steadily rose into the sky behind them, unnoticed for the moment.

"I'm feeling so much better." Rin said finally, having consumed more than half of the melon. Sesshomaru took small bites of his portion, mostly focused on the return of her appetite. She had wrapped a piece of melon in a patch of fabric and set it aside for Jaken. With a sigh she let her hands fall in her lap.

"I don't know why I got so sick. I feel badly for holding back Master Jaken — and you Lord Sesshomaru."

A frown dimpled his expression. "Why do you think that?"

Rin tilted her head to meet his gaze. "Well, Jaken is always saying things about the important things you need to do, and how I'm holding you back from accomplishing your goals."

Of course, Jaken would be running his mouth. It wasn't Rin holding him back, it was his own damn soul coming alive.

"If I felt you were holding me back, I would say so."

Rin smiled slightly. "You've been so kind to me Lord Sesshomaru. I just don't want to be a burden."

Sesshomaru pressed his lips together. How could the one spot of light in his life, be a burden?

"Your life is your own Rin. It will always be your choice." He paused for a moment, considering what else to convey. "Your presence is no burden." He cast a sidelong glance at Jaken, before shifting his focus back to her. "Don't ever believe otherwise."

A slow smile touched her lips, one of the smiles that made her eyes sparkle deeply. Rin reached out to grasp her thin blanket and pulled it over her lap.

"When will we start traveling again, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru stood to his feet. "Get some rest, Rin."

Obediently, she curled up under her blanket and closed her eyes. Within moments, her breathing had deepened in sleep. Jaken still snored a few feet away, his feet twitching in the air. A-un wasn't visible, but presumably he was nearby feeding on bushes or grass.

Time passed, several days, then a week. Jaken made Rin food as she recovered, once or twice Sesshomaru brought fresh fruit for them to share. Rin recovered daily, the color returned to her face, and she grew strong again. She remained tired in the evenings, and often slept from dusk until well after dawn.

Sesshomaru hovered on the fringes of the little camp, watchful, but rarely participating in the daily goings on. The torrent within him, was always more potent when he was close to Rin. Whether it was the Kizuna, or his soul coming alive, he couldn't be certain. Perhaps it was both interconnected. Regardless, he didn't intend to intentionally prod it further.

Frequently Sesshomaru's thoughts wandered. Mulling over the Tenseiga's interference in his life. Over Toga, and what his fathers stake may have been in all the recent goings on. Also about Sakuya-hime, and her predictions for his future. He could come to no resolve, and instead was always left irritated by the lack of closure.

Several times, he thought of Inkimi. His mother. Until Rin's abrupt arrival in his life, his mother had been the other other female he'd had any long term exposure to on a more personal level. But, Inkimi was the opposite of Rin in all ways. She had always been cold, and harsh. Unyielding. Unforgiving. Merciless. Like a beautiful ice sculpture that was untouchable.

Had there been a time that Sesshomaru had felt something other than cool distant evaluation? Perhaps. Before Toga removed himself from Inkimi's presence to a more permanent level. Toga had been what Inkimi was not. Warm. Loving even. Compassionate. Perhaps that was what attracted Sesshomaru to Rin's light. He had worshipped his father to an unearthly level. He wasn't just a father to Sesshomaru, he had been a god.

Then, he was gone. Sesshomaru had been but a gangly pup then, and never knew the intimate details. It had happened after one of Toga's battles, he'd returned to Inkimi's castle in the clouds to greet his mate and pup…

Sesshomaru's thoughts wandered into the memories of his childhood. Days which he had long ago, and quite intentionally, forgotten.