InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Fragile Heart ❯ Chapter Five: New Dawn ( Chapter 5 )

"A Fragile Heart"

by: Banshee Puppet

Chapter Five: New Dawn

~**~

"Are you ready to go Rin?" he asked. Sesshomaru was nervous. But the paperwork had finally gone though, had finally been approved. He'd graduated high school last spring, got a decent job, a nice little two bedroom apartment, and now…

And now the little girl nodded, slipping her tiny fingers around his hand and smiling like she had every bit of confidence in the fact that Sessho-kun wouldn't let her down. Children, if nothing else, seemed to have endless reserves of faith, and Rin. Well, Rin believed in him, though he couldn't understand why. 'What do you see in me, Rin?' he wondered as he lifted the duffel bag with the girl's few possessions over his shoulder.

Dr. Gale stood in the doorway looking at him over the weary rim of her glasses. "Are you sure?" she asked. They both knew what she meant. Are you sure about taking her out of the hospital? What if something happens? You're not a doctor.

"Yes," Sesshomaru answered. 'She deserves a chance at a normal life. Besides, you've already taught me everything I need to know about taking care of her,' he thought. And over the past months, Dr. Jack Gale had learned enough about the young man to understand that from the shifting of light in his eyes. She gave a curt nod and stepped out of the way.

"Alright then. I'll see you two Friday afternoon for her weekly checkup," she said. "You be good Rin!" the doctor said cheerfully, ruffling the girl's hair.

Rin gave the doctor a gap-toothed smile. "Don't worry Dr. Jack! Sessho-kun is going to take care of Rin now!" she said confidently.

"Friday," Sesshomaru stated. "Come on Rin. Let's go home," he said.

The girl nodded and walked beside him, holding his hand.

As he buckled her seatbelt, Rin asked, "Sessho-kun?"

"Yes?"

"Are there flowers at Rin's new home?"

"No."

The girl frowned and said "oh."

"We'll plant some, okay? Together. Alright?" he offered at her sad expression. He hadn't meant to make her frown like that.

"Yay!" Rin cheered. "Rin likes flowers!"

~**~

"Oi, Kagome."

"What are you so cheerful about today Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha just smiled as they reached the large building. "We're in high school now, ya know, so you should start acting a little more mature," he stated impishly.

"Oh you!!!" Kagome growled, punching him rather girlishly in the arm. "I know you better than that Inuyasha. You're just excited about being in the same school as Sango."

"Th-that's not really!" Inuyasha blushed. They both knew it was true. He had a crush on the ball-player. A crush? Hah! Understatement. He'd been going out of his way to run into her for weeks now. It had been a slowly developing friendship, but as it stood now, everyone could see the obvious except the two of them.

"You should just ask her out already! It's sooo obvious that you like her," Kagome said knowingly.

"I do not!" he defended himself, badly. Still, it was nice. His feelings for Sango had grown and his feelings for Kagome mellowed to a strong affection. It was just…nice. Things were good. It made him forget the past, forget about dying and wishes and the pain of grief.

"You don't what?"

Inuyasha jumped. "Oi! Sango don't sneak up on me like that!" he scolded.

Sango giggled. "Sorry, thought I'd meet up with you guys since it's your first day," she said. "Everyone's early today. It's so different without your brother and Kouga here…"

"Where's Miroku? I thought where one was, the other wasn't far behind," Kagome teased over the pervert that had taken permanent residence at Sango's hip.

A sad expression flickered across her eyes. "Oh, he won't be coming to school this semester," she said. "Uh…his grandmother is sick, so he has to stay home to take care of her," she lied. It wasn't her place to say, and that's what he'd told her to say, so…

But she still felt bad about lying to Kagome and Inuyasha. They were friends, after all, and Inuyasha…

Sango looked at the grumpy young man and tried not to blush as she realized….

Inuyasha has been working out.

Kagome saw the two and slapped her forehead. Oh for cryin out loud! "I'm going to class!" she announced. "Meet you there Inuyasha."

~**~

Miroku stared in the mirror and sighed, running his hands over his bare head. Bald. "Can't get used to this," he mumbled to himself. He was getting skinny, though he still looked healthy enough. Just… …bald. Very very bald.

"You look like a monk."

Miroku jumped at the voice. "Kouga."

"Feel like going for a ride?" the punk asked, leaning against the wall. "No work for me today, figured you might wanna do something, since Sango's in school and all…"

"… …okay," he said, standing. "But you've gotta sneak me out. I'm not supposed to be up and around anymore."

"Like a pig-headed bastard like you is gonna let that stop him."

Miroku just smirked. "Thanks Kouga."

"For what?"

"Oh, you know, nothing. Not a damn thing."

~**~

"Where's this?" Rin asked.

"It's the high school, Rin," Sesshomaru said.

"Why're Rin and Sessho-kun at the high school?" she asked as she held his hand a little tighter when people started coming out.

"We're picking someone up," he said. "My girlfriend, and maybe my brother."

"A pretty girl is waving at Sessho-kun," Rin observed.

Sesshomaru looked up. There she was, looking the same as always. A slight smile pulled at the corner of his lips and he lifted his free hand in return.

"You didn't have to come all this way to get me!" Kagome said cheerfully.

"I wanted Rin to meet you."

"Oh. Oh!" Kagome smiled down at the girl. Kawaii! her mind squealed. She was sooo cute! "Hello Rin-chan! My name is Kagome!" she said cheerfully.

"Hi Kagome! Rin's name is Rin! Sessho-kun is taking care of Rin now. He says we can plant flowers together! Do you want to help?" the girl said rather quickly.

"Sure Rin-chan! It sounds like fun!" Kagome answered, latching onto Sesshomaru's free arm and smiling up at him.

"Is Inuyasha coming?"

Kagome shook crinkled her nose, shaking her head back and forth. "He's walking home with Sango," she said knowingly.

"Ah. I see. Then let's get going."

~**~

"Oi, Sango?"

"Hmn?"

"Do you have to be home right now?"

"Not really, why?"

"I thought maybe we could stop for something to eat? I mean, only if you want to…"

Sango giggled again. He couldn't think he was being very subtle. Even Sango had figured out that he liked her already. Problem was, she was too shy to really say anything. Well, it was obvious at least that they wouldn't get anywhere at this rate. So maybe it was time to take matters into her own hands, or try to.

"What?" Inuyasha demanded in that defensive way he had when he was feeling stupid.

"I was just thinking."

Inuyasha stopped and cocked his eyebrow at her. She took a few steps before realizing he'd stopped moving. She turned and looked at him quizzically.

"Thinking about?" he asked, though there wasn't much of a question in that sentence.

Sango chewed her lip. Now or never. She shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Weell. The Welcome Back dance is this Friday night. …I was thinking, you know, that we should go. …uh," she blushed. "Ya know…together…if you want to, that is."

Inuyasha had to take a moment for that to register, and scowled after he realized he'd had another goofy grin on his face.

"So uh…what time do you want me to pick you up?" he asked with a blush of his own.

"Why don't we talk about that over some food," Sango asked, feeling relieved. Well, hah! Miroku would be happy at least! Pft. Like I care what that stupid pervert thinks, she reminded herself. Still, he was still a friend. I'll stop by to visit him later.

~**~

The little girl curled up against Sesshomaru's hip and fell asleep.

"She's had enough for one day I think," he told Kagome, wiping a bit of dirt off of her cheeks. "She has to be careful not to exert herself too much."