InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ I Need You ❯ Blushes And Snarls ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, its characters or any quotes I may use.

 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: BLUSHES AND SNARLS

 

Several weeks had past since Rin came out of the well and met the strange demon named Sesshomaru. She would have slightly flashes, snips of things here or there; but nothing that gave her any clue as to who she was. And she was getting frustrated. What annoyed her more was whenever she asked Sesshomaru a question, he never gave her a straight answer; Rin wasn't sure if she should take that as his answer and figure out what he was hiding from her. Or if he really didn't know.

As she explored the castle she hummed softly to herself. It wasn't a song she'd ever heard before, just something that come to her often as she walked. Rin stopped as she came to two dark and large doors with handles made with gold.

“I haven't been this far before.” Rin murmured to herself and she took hold of one of the handles. Grunting slightly as she pushed it slowly started to move forward. Slipping through the small crack she finally made Rin gasped in awe at the room before her. It was huge!

A large window with glass that ran from the floor to the tall ceiling gave a beautiful view of the castle grounds. A desk made out of dark wood stood in a corner next to an unlit fireplace. In the opposite corner of the desk and in the darkest part of the room lay a huge bed, covered with silver sheets and pillows. Rin gently ran her fingers over and she looked around the room. It was beautiful.

“What are you doing?”

Rin let out a cry and spun around. Sesshomaru winced slightly, “Don't do that, it hurt's my ears.”

Rin bit her lip, “Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were in here.”

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, “I see. Strange as it may seem, I do have my own room.”

Rin gulp, “Oops” she blushed, “I'll be going now!”

She turned and hightailed it out of the demon lord's presence. It wasn't until she was half way down another hallway that she realized what she'd just seen. Sesshomaru, standing in his room, dressed in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

Rin blushed so red she could've been mistaken for a tomato.

Leaning against the wall she slowly slid down to the floor, “Oooh….my….god.” she covered her face with her hands and shook her head furiously as if to shake the image out of her head. All she got was a slight headache and double vision.

“He's got a nice body” Rin mumbled before she slapped her forehead with her hand, “Idiot! Don't even go there. Back up. Reverse. Bad, bad, bad!”

Over the few weeks she had been there, Rin noticed a strange feeling that would creep into the pit of her stomach whenever she saw the demon. It felt like a million butterflies were fluttering around and her heart would speed up. Realizing what she was feeling, Rin made it a point to avoid Sesshomaru, unless she had a question to ask. But it always proved to be a waste of time. He would avoid an answer and she'd get butterflies.

Rin got to her feet and continued down the hallways, trying to find something else to think about. She finally came to another set of doors like the ones that led to Sesshomaru's room, only when she pushed on them they were considerably lighter. The room was laid out much like Sesshomaru's, only brighter and friendlier; instead of a desk, a dresser stood next to the fireplace and the sheets on the bed were white. As Rin stepped into the middle of the room she caught her reflection in a full length mirror and she stopped. Suddenly standing in front of her was the little girl; giggling and twirling around in a beautiful green kimono.

“Oh it's the best my lord!” she cried, “Thank you so much.”

Rin continued around the room; she'd finally given up trying to talk to the figures she saw. She went up to the dresser and looked through the drawers. It was filled with children's clothes; most specifically a little girl's clothes. Rin turned and went to the bed; carefully she climbed up and lay in the soft blankets and closed her eyes.

“I remember this” she murmured “Laying in this bed and someone….someone would come and tuck me in.”

Rin sat straight up and looked at the little girl in front of the mirror again; she was trying to brush her wild hair and was not being very successful at it. Rin smiled as she finally sighed loudly in exasperation and threw the brush across the room.

“What was that for?”

Both girls turned and Rin gasped softly. Sesshomaru came forward and knelt in front of the little girl, “What's wrong?” he said in a voice so soft Rin did a double take to make sure it was the same angry demon she'd run into only moments before. It was and yet it wasn't. His eyes were the same cold gold but there was no sadness in them, and now they flickered with concern. The little girl hung her head, “I'm sorry my lord” she whispered, “I just got so mad.”

Sesshomaru nodded and Rin was sure she saw a glint of humor in his eyes. “I wanted to be pretty, so I won't have to go away.”

Sesshomaru frowned, “Who told you that?”

“Master Jaken”

Rin frowned as well, “Mean little toad.”

Sesshomaru shook his head slightly, “No, this Sesshomaru will not send you away.”

The little girl smiled and threw her arms around him, “Oh thank you my lord!”

Sesshomaru stiffened slightly then slowly hugged her back.

“I will never send you away Rin. Never.”

Rin's heart dropped to her gut; he said her name! But her fear quickly turned to anger. That bastard did know her!

Rin jumped off the bed and strolled angrily for the door, not minding she'd just walked through her own memories.

Rin's walk became a slow run as she made her way back to Sesshomaru's room.

No bothering to knock Rin burst into his room again; as well as she could with the heavy door, and leveled him with a glare, “You lying bastard!” she snarled.

 

Sesshomaru glared at his reflection, and his golden eyes glared back. Since Rin had been staying with him, Sesshomaru felt a strange stir. Whenever she looked at him, smiled or laughed. He wanted to smile with her.

“Told you so” a cold voice said.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, “Not again, I'm not having this conversation again.”

“Too bad. Now, did I tell you or did I tell you? That human girl's has some strange effect on you and it makes you weak! You're in love with her.”

“Shut up!” Sesshomaru snarled aloud.

Opening the door to his bedroom Sesshomaru was only slightly surprised to see Rin standing in his room; her back to him. “Damn bath steam. I couldn't smell her.”

Rin had yet to notice his presence so he took the opportunity to watch her.

She had become quite a lovely woman. Her dark hair fell down to her waist, smooth and silky; the exact opposite or when she was a child. His eyes traveled over her body and his had the sudden erg to hold her in his arms; not as a father held his daughter, which was how he used to hold her. But as a man held a woman; and that thought made him jump.

“What foolish thoughts are theses?” Sesshomaru mused to himself before clearing his thoughts of embracing her and approached her.

“What are you doing?”

Sesshomaru winced as Rin cried out in surprise; he hated when she did that.

The girl apologized and quickly exited the room.

Sesshomaru turned and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and swore when he saw his attire. He was only wearing a towel.

Moments late he was dressed in his pants and sat at his desk; thinking about Rin and what she was doing to him. He slightly wished she would stay away for a while so he could figure everything out.

He didn't get his wish.

Not long after Rin had left humbly, she came barging in, with a snarl.

“You lying bastard!

Sesshomaru's eyebrows rose at her suddenly change in attitude, “Is there something wrong?” he said coolly.

Rin glared and placed her hands on his desk, her face slightly flushed when she realized he still had no shirt on. “Yes there's a problem. And that's because you've been lying to me!”

“Why would you think that Rin?”

“Because I just found another bedroom; one that belong to a little girl. It was mine, wasn't it?!”

Surprise and slight touch of worry shot through Sesshomaru's mind, but nothing showed on his face. “Jaken, I told you to locked that room! Note to self: Kill Jaken, don't bring him back.”

Sesshomaru regarded her coldly, “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Yes you do!” Rin cried, almost desperately.

She had to go. Leave. If she stayed any longer she'd remember everything and that would be bad.

“I was a fool to let her stay in the first place.”

“It's time for you to go home Rin”

Rin gasped, “What? But I can't! Please, I-”

“You agreed to leave when I told you to!” Sesshomaru snarled, “Are you saying you're going to go back on your word?”

Tears filled Rin's eyes and she shook her head, “No.”

“I will take you back to the tree where I found you, I'm sure you can find your way home from there?”

Rin nodded mutely, tears slowly running down her face.

“Good, go and get your things. Tell Jaken we're leaving.”

Rin didn't say a word as she turned and walked out, not bothering to shut the door behind her.

Sesshomaru walked over and shut his door, a strange feeling surrounding his heart,

“What is this feeling?”

“Guilt”

“Why should this Sesshomaru felt guilt? She is nothing but a human.”

“You love her, and you know you've hurt her deeply.”

“I don't care!” Sesshomaru snapped hoarsely.

He quickly got dressed and tried to shove the feeling aside. But her couldn't. All he could see were Rin's dark eyes, full of pain, sadness and tears.

“I don't care” he repeated to himself.

But he knew the truth; he did cared and it was bothering him that he hurt the one and only person he truly wished to protect.

Looking out his window he saw her standing in the garden, slowly roaming through the dead plants,

“I have to protect you.”

 

InuYasha growled in frustration. They'd been traveling for weeks and still had no sign of Rin. Nor had any humans they ran into seen her.

It was getting depressing.

Miroku sighed and looked up to the sky, “We better stop for the night; it's getting dark.”

InuYasha looked up as well then nodded, “Yeah, let's find a good place for shelter.”

A while later the four adults were gathered around the fire, and Shippo was out finding food.

No one spoke till Sango finally blurted out the question that was lingering in the air, “Are we sure she's still alive?”

Kagome looked up from the fire, “Yes” she whispered.

Miroku smiled kindly, “How? No one's seen her, or even heard of her. She could have even gone back through the well already.”

Kagome shook her head firmly, “No. She's here. I can feel it.”

She leaned against InuYasha, “She's here.”

“I got fish!” Shippo appeared with a basket full of fish.

InuYasha and Miroku set up a spit to cook the fish while Sango and Shippo cleaned them. Kagome just stared into the fire, the light reflecting in her dark eyes, “She's here, and she's alive. I just know it.”

 

Rin looked up as Sesshomaru approached. She was sitting on a rock waiting outside the castle gates with Jaken. Standing up, she brushed her backside off and smiled slightly, “It's getting dark, is the well far?”

Sesshomaru hesitated. He knew they couldn't travel far; it was night and Rin would become sleepy. But he also knew if they waited at the castle another day; he wouldn't be able to make her leave. He couldn't stand to see her tears again.

Sesshomaru walked past his two companions, “It is. But we can make camp tonight. Let's go.”

Rin sighed, shouldered her backpack and followed the two demons into the woods.

Hours past and Rin tried to hide another yawn. But Sesshomaru heard her anyways. He stopped suddenly, “We'll stop here for the night.”

Rin closed her eyes in relief and practically dropped to the ground.

“Jaken, find wood for a fire.”

“Yes milord”

“There are some hot springs near by.”

Rin cracked open an eye and turned her head to look at Sesshomaru, “So?”

“Go take a bath.”

Rin sat up “Why?”

“You need it.”

Rin thought back to earlier and blush; fortunately Sesshomaru didn't seem to recall their awkward moment.

“Are you saying I stink?”

Sesshomaru smirked slightly before slightly inclining his head, “Yes.”

Rin growled, “Why you-”

“Here is the wood my lord!” Jaken came back into the clearing.

Rin got to her feet with a huff, “Fine. I'll take a bath.”

She grabbed her backpack and went in the direction Sesshomaru pointed out,

“Stupid jerk.” She muttered as she walked, “I don't care if you're a powerful demon, a great lord or God himself; you're still an ass.”

Rin stopped short as her mind drifted to his body. Mentally and physically she slapped herself, “I said an ass, not his ass.”

Sighing deeply she stopped at the waters edge and looked in. Steam rose up from crystal clear water and Rin smiled, “This sounds like a good idea after all.”

Carefully slipping out of her clothes, she piled them next to one of the rock and walked into the water. Closing her eyes she leaned against a rock and relaxed, “I wish I could do this back home. It's nice.”

A branch snapped in the woods and Rin's eyes snapped open.

She sat up slightly and looked around, “Hey! Who's out there?!”

“Rin” a low voice breathed and a shadow loomed over the water.

Rin let out a blood curdling scream.

 

Sesshomaru leaned back against a tree trunk and closed his eyes, but every sense was on alert. He was moment away from strangling Jaken for his stupidity. The imp was trying to light the fire and had managed to set fire to everything but the wood.

Sesshomaru heard a soft squeak of terror and sighed. Slowly reaching up he took his strains of hair that Jaken, only God knows how, had set on fire and put them out. Opening his eyes, he glared at Jaken; who in turn gulped and his eyes became bigger then his head. Sesshomaru stood slowly and advanced towards Jaken, his hand closing into a fist. But before he could reach the trembling demon she heard Rin scream in terror.

Spinning around Sesshomaru left Jaken standing in shock at his lord's retreating back, “Lord Sesshomaru has let me live? I don't believe it! I thought for sure…” he trailed off and sniffed. Something was burning. Suddenly he yelped and jumped into the air; behind him the wood was finally burning brightly.

 

Sesshomaru followed Rin's scent and stopped short when he reached the water. Rin was standing up in the water, her back turned to him. And she was trembling. Not for the cold, but in fear.

“Rin” he said softly.

Rin yelled again and spun around. Seeing Sesshomaru standing there she relaxed then yelled again as she realized she wasn't wearing anything. Sesshomaru only raised an eyebrow in amusement.

Rin dropped back into the water so fast she splashed her face. Wiping the water away she glared, “What are you smiling at?!” she snapped.

Sesshomaru ignored her question, “What are you doing? Why did you scream?”

“I heard…something. Then someone called my name and I saw a shadow. I think someone was spying on me.”

Sesshomaru growled inside. Someone was watching her. Something that only belong to him. His Rin. Sesshomaru stopped. His Rin? Where the hell did that come from?

Of course through all this Sesshomaru's face stayed the face. Cold and expressionless.

“Are you injured?

“No.”

“Good. Get dressed; I believe Jaken finally lit the fire.”

Rin glared at him, “Are you going to turn around?”

“I have no desire to see your body. Why should this Sesshomaru care?”

Rin rolled her eyes, “I don't care if you have a desire or not! I don't want you to see me naked!”

“More then you already have” she added to herself.

Sesshomaru sighed, “Fine, I will turn around if that'll make you hurry.”

As soon as his back was turned Rin put her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out at him.

 

They made their way back to camp in silence and Rin tried to ring the rest of the water out of her hair.

“When we return, go straight to sleep. We will leave early.”

Rin nodded, “Okay. How much farther to the well?”

“We will be there tomorrow, if we don't make any useless stops that is.”

Rin frowned; she knew what he was implying.

“Hey, I'm not the one that decided to take this little joy-ride trip you know! I would have been just fine staying at the castle.”

“Then you would have remembered”

“My castle is not an inn. I let you stay till you were well again, and now you must return.”

“You really like to repeat yourself don't you?”

“I only state what is necessary.”

“Or just to hear yourself talk.”

Sesshomaru halted and looked down at her, “What do you mean by that?”

“You like get this kick out of beating somebody when they're down. Laughing at their fears and refusing to help when they ask for it.”

“Why should I bother myself with other's problems? I am the Great Western Lord and-”

“You're nothing but a big bully!” Rin snapped

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrows, “Bully?”

“Yes! You go around and pick on other people, making them feel like they're nothing. When you're the one that really has nothing and you just pick on others to make yourself feel better!”

Sesshomaru growled, “You dare speak to me like this?”

Rin flinched but stood her ground, “Yes I dare! You walk around in your superior manner, looking down on everyone else!”

Sesshomaru's hand flashed out and grabbed her by the throat, “That is because I am superior! You are nothing but a weak human; one whose neck I could snap in my claws in an instant. You still appose me?”

Rin lifted her chin stubbornly, the demon's claws scratched against her neck. “I'm not afraid.”

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed red and lifted the girl off the ground, “Then you are a fool!” he hissed.

Rin's vision blurred but she refused to give in, “I know you won't hurt me” she rasped, her air supply low.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, his lips curled up in a slight smirk, “And why is that?”

Rin looked him directly in the eye, her dark eyes serious. “Because you saved my life before; twice. You know who I am and you care about me.”

Sesshomaru released his grip on her and she crashed to the ground coughing.

“You are sadly mistaken” he said coldly before turning and continuing down the path.

Rin looked up, her hand messaging her neck, “Then why did you save me before?!” she yelled. “I don't understand!”

Sesshomaru stopped but did not turned, “Perhaps…that was my mistake.”

Rin closed her eyes as Sesshomaru continued down the path. Covering her face with her hands she laid down on the ground and cried.

 

Sesshomaru walked back to where he'd left Jaken and sat down. He could hear Rin's cries, but he wouldn't let himself say anything, or go back to get her. She had to leave.

Soon her cries stopped and Sesshomaru expected to see her walk back into the clearing. Minutes past and she still hadn't come. Sesshomaru frowned; he hadn't left her far behind. He waiting so more and was starting to get impatience. She's needed her sleep so they could travel fast in the morning.

A full fifteen minutes past and Sesshomaru finally turned to Jaken, “Go find her and bring her back.”

Jaken scrambled to his feet and went into the woods. Moments later he came back; his eyes wide, “My lord?” he squeaked.

Sesshomaru looked down at him, “Where is she?”

“She's gone my lord.”

“Gone?”

“Yes, I cannot find her anywhere near, and her scent is faint.”

“She was taken?”

“No my lord. She walked, her tracks lead away from here and I did not smell that another had been there.”

Sesshomaru growled, “Damn it!”

He beaconed to Jaken, “Put that fire out, and come.”

Jaken grumbled as he stomped out the fire he spent so much time lighting and followed Sesshomaru into the dark woods; in the direction Rin had gone.

“I shouldn't follow her. But I must make sure she is safe.”

 

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW