InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Brief Moments ❯ The Calm ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16

The Calm

 

Gomenne- another way of saying sorry.

 

I have added a family tree, with notes, to the end of this chapter. I hope you like it. ^_^

 

SERIES SPOILER: DON'T READ THIS NOTE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW.

It is only a short line in the chapter, but what I am referring to it this: In one episode of the anime, we learn that Sesshoumaru gets sucked into a battle that was originally his father's responsibility. His father had protected a group of youkai from a group of cat youkai. Well, since Inu Dai(papa) has died and is not there to protect these youkai, they go to Sesshoumaru for help. Sesshoumaru agrees because he is assured that these same youkai, who need his aid, will be fighting beside him. Well, they back out on him. He basically ends up fighting on his own. He tells Jaken to get Inu Yasha for back up. Jaken returns to tell him that Inu Yasha has been pinned to Goshinboku by a human. It would figure that the one time Sesshoumaru turns to his brother for help, Inu Yasha is not there. Sesshoumaru suffers a terrible defeat as a result. It is one in which his pride cannot recover, so he blames it on Inu Yasha. So begins Sesshoumaru's anger toward Inu Yasha and his hatred for humans. Jaken is actually the one who explains all this to Inu Yasha in the episode.

 

 

Now to the story…..

 

 

The large group had been split into three distinct groups of individuals. Kagome, Sango and Nishi were gathered at one side of the field, while the men, with the exception of Sesshoumaru and Jaken, were lumped together in the opposite direction. Rin was the only one who curiously lingered outside of her assigned group. Eager to learn why everyone had split up in this way, she cautiously wandered closer to the girls. It took a major amount of effort to accomplish, but she was able to hear bits of the conversation without being noticed. However, all of her hard work had quickly gone to naught as her hand came upon a rock, which caused her to tumble over onto her side. A tiny peep came out of Rin when she noticed herself falling. By the time Kagome and Sango could turn to look in her direction, Rin was busy acting as if she was picking the itsy bitsy flowers that covered the ground.

 

“Come on, Rin. You might have some questions too,” Kagome said rolling her eyes.

 

Sango said nothing, but gave Kagome a look that asked her if she was sure that Rin should be involved. It was hard enough for Sango to have the conversation with Nishi, but Rin's presence had just added a new level of discomfort. She was sure that she would either die of embarrassment, or die laughing. She was hoping for laughing.

 

“I think that Karen has plans for…,” Kagome stopped to think of a less than obvious way to put it. She tried to lead Sango to look in Sesshoumaru's direction by darting her eyes back and forth.

 

“No,” Sango whispered, placing her closed hand next to her lips.

 

Kagome nodded and mumbled, “Tall, dark, and fluffy.”

 

Sango nearly died laughing as Rin watched in confusion.

 

“Rin-chan, come over and sit next to Nishi-chan,” Kagome said, pushing at Sango's arm in an attempt to maker her stop laughing.

 

“Konnichiwa,” Rin said warmly as she set down next to Nishi.

 

“Konnichiwa,” she answered.

 

“Rin-chan, is there anything you want to ask? Or do you just want to listen to the conversation?” Sango asked, finally getting herself to stop laughing.

 

Rin thought for a moment. There had only been one part of their talk that she had heard, and she had no clue as to what any of it meant. Tilting her head sideways, she asked, “What's sex?”

 

A Sango looked at Kagome and waited for her to answer Rin's question.

 

Meeting Sango's embarrassed grin, Kagome, awkwardly began to giggle. “I guess I wasn't ready for that.”

 

“You weren't ready for it? It was your idea to let her join us, and you weren't ready to tell her about sex?” Sango was twitching, with her eyes narrowed.

 

“Ok, I'll do it,” Nishi announced, blushing slightly. She was growing impatient with the situation. She didn't want to talk; she wanted to be with Shippo. She put her hand up to Rin's ear and began to whisper.

 

Seconds slipped by as Rin listened. Finally, Rin's eyes went wide as they looked downward at the lower half of her body. In a meek voice, Rin asked, “What does that accomplish?”

 

“Well…um...it's supposed to be really nice. A lot of people like doing it. Oh, and it's how babies are born,” Nishi said with a shrug as she pulled away from Rin.

 

Rin looked at Kagome and Sango. Then she looked over at the group of men, and back at Kagome and Sango. She quickly put together that at least Sango and Kagome must be having sex, because they were the ones explaining it to Nishi. With a very serious look in her eyes, Rin asked, “Is she right? Does it feel good?”

 

Both girls smiled, and looked at each other, before turning their back and huddling together.

 

Kagome giggled hysterically, “Why is this so difficult with Rin-chan? It wasn't a big deal with Nishi-chan.”

 

Sango replied in an awkwardly serious tone, “Maybe that's because you've already seen Nishi-chan's body hanging all over Shippo. Rin-chan just looks so innocent. I can't imagine her having sex.” She looked over at Sesshoumaru, who was to busy watching the guys to notice her, and said, “I know I can't see her having sex with tall, dark, and fluffy.”

 

“Sango-chan! I'm being serious.”

 

“You said it. And am I. I can't imagine them having sex. It seems too impossible.”

 

“Kagome-sama?” Rin said, trying to get an answer.

 

Kagome and Sango had to face Rin's question. There was no escaping it. Sango set perfectly still, trying to hold back her need to laugh until she cried.

 

Meanwhile, Kagome sat forward and nervously tried to answer. “It does feel really…nice.”

 

Sango made a small sound that inspired an evil eye from Kagome. “Gomenne,” she said though her hand.

 

Maintaining her determination to give Rin a good answer, Kagome continued, “It can…bring two people together and make them closer. And, yes, it is how children are…made.” All the while, Kagome looked as if she was going to pass out.

 

Sango was now holding both hands over her mouth to keep herself under control. Kagome smacked her on the arm and said, “I don't see you explaining it any better.”

 

“You're doing great,” Sango blurted through her hands.

 

“I know that kissing feels really nice and it's supposed to feel better than kissing,” Nishi explained dreamily as she looked over towards Shippo.

 

“What's kissing?” Rin panicked.

 

“Oh god,” Sango snickered as Kagome's jaw fell open.

 

“You have never kissed anyone?” Nishi gasped as if she had a great deal more experience with the matter than she actually had. “You haven't even seen someone do it before?”

 

“I don't know. How do you do it? Do you use the same part of your body that you use for sex?”

 

Kagome's mind replayed the image of Inu Yasha's head between her legs, and her face suddenly looked like it had been smeared with red paint. She looked at Sango for help, only to discover that Sango's face was just as red. Again Kagome reached out and hit Sango on the arm. “You're becoming just as perverted as Miroku!”

 

“Me? Look at you. You know exactly what I'm thinking.”

 

Rin was hopelessly confused.

 

Nishi moved in close to Rin's ear again, “It's done with the mouth. You kiss by touching your lips together.”

 

“Oh,” Rin sighed. Her shoulders lost the tension they had been holding. “You've tried kissing, but not sex? Does that mean I should try to kissing Sesshoumaru-sama before I try…” she paused and looked down, “sex?”

 

Nishi nodded her head proudly.

 

Kagome and Sango had stopped bickering just in time to hear the end of the question. Kagome could take no more; she fell onto her side as a result of mental overload. Sango, who was also at her limit, couldn't hold in the laughter any longer.

 

“Is there something wrong with them? They're really weird.” Rin said.

 

Nishi was to preoccupied with looking at Shippo to hear Rin's words. The moment that she had been waiting for had finally arrived. The men were finished talking, and Shippo was moving away from the group. Nishi took it as her cue to make a quick getaway. “Sorry, Rin-chan, I have to go. If you have more questions, you can ask me. I'll be wherever Shippo is.”

 

Rin watched Nishi walk away. Taking a big swallow, she looked at her two remaining companions, who were still falling apart at the seams. “Should I leave too?”

 

“We really don't mean to laugh, Rin-chan,” Sango apologized. “It's just that you have the most unimaginable relationship of all of us. It is difficult to imagine Sesshoumaru with anyone.”

 

“Sango-chan!” Kagome gasped, looking upwards.

 

“I'm sorry, I can't dance around this. If Karen does have plans for her and Sesshoumaru, then there is no reason not to face it.”

 

“But why is it so difficult to see me and Sesshoumaru-sama together?”

 

Kagome finally forced herself to sit up. “You are so innocent and cheerful. He's so cold and distant.”

 

“He hurts.” She said looking past them to see Sesshoumaru. He was sitting next to Jaken in the grass. His eyes were fixed on Inu Yasha and Miroku. Anxiously tracing her lower lip with a thumb that extended from her closed fist, Rin tried to explain her reasons. “I feel the hurt in his chest. It's like he can't breathe. But I…I can feel him breathe…when he holds me.”

 

“Rin-chan,” Sango whispered.

 

“Sesshoumaru actually holds you?” Kagome asked.

 

“He always holds me when I need him too. I can't sleep most nights unless he does. He doesn't like that my dreams scare me. I think he started holding me because he wanted to stop the dreams…but he feels different now.”

 

Kagome thought about what she had seen in the energy that surrounded them. She didn't doubt what Rin was saying, but she was having trouble understanding how Rin was able to feel Sesshoumaru's emotions. As far as she knew, she was the only miko who could do anything like this. She had to know that she wasn't misinterpreting Rin, so she asked, “What do you mean by `he feels different'?”

 

In a very soft voice, Rin looked at the ground and answered, “I can feel his pain. It's like having someone's hand on your chest, and they're holding you down. Only, it's his hand that's holding him down. I think he was trying to protect me by letting me sleep on his chest, but now…I think he holds me because he can't breathe until he does. And I can't breathe until he can.”

 

Sango and Kagome both looked back at the tall youkai who silently sat brooding behind them.

 

“That is Sesshoumaru? I can't believe it,” Sango said.

 

“I can only believe it, because I've seen it for myself. It's there in his youki. He wants to be near her, but he's fighting to keep her at a distance,” Kagome commented.

 

“But why?” Rin asked. “Why is he fighting, Kagome-sama? I want to know why he does this. What made him this way?”

 

“I don't know, Rin-chan. I don't know him well enough to answer that question.”

 

“Would Inu Yasha-sama know?”

 

Kagome shook her head and replied, “I doubt it. You should know how much Sesshoumaru hates Inu Yasha.”

 

“But Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't hate him. It makes him sad when he's around Inu Yasha-sama, but Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't hate him.”

 

“Kagome-chan, how does she know all of this? Aren't you the only miko who can bond with a youkai this way? She doesn't even know what sex is, but she sounds like you. You had to have sex with Inu Yasha before you could do this.”

 

“Well, we had to be really close and touching. It was always sexual in some way, but maybe touching was enough. I don't understand parts of it now that I think about it. Maybe the fact that Sesshoumaru used the Tenseiga on Rin has something to do with it. I guess we'll have to see if Karen can explain it, when she explains everything else.”

 

********

 

“Do you think he will listen to anything we just said?” Miroku asked as his eyes followed Shippo and Nishi into the woods.

 

“I don't know. If he wants to survive…he'll have to do something,” Inu Yasha sighed. “Is Sesshoumaru still watching me with the eyes of death? I feel like a hole is being burned through my soul.”

 

Miroku tilted his body slightly to see around Inu Yasha, and answered, “He hasn't changed since the last time you asked me.”

 

“Feh, it figures. Man, what did I do to that guy? Come on…I'm not the one who picked a fight and lost.” He grumbled and glanced over in Kagome's direction. He watched them for a moment before thinking aloud, “They look like they're having a deep discussion with Rin. I wonder what's up.”

 

“My guess is that they are starting from the beginning,” Miroku commented off handedly.

 

“Huh?”

 

“I doubt that Rin has any knowledge about sex. They are more than likely starting with the basics.”

 

“Sex? Her?” Inu Yasha pointed in Rin's direction but kept his disbelieving eyes on Miroku. “Who would she be having sex with?”

 

“You are telling me that you can't see it in the way they act? Inu Yasha, you can't be that unobservant.” Miroku sat in awe of the cluelessness as Inu Yasha blinked in at him. Rubbing at his forehead, he continued, “Alright, that hasn't changed. She would be having sex with the angry youkai that has been burning a hole `through your soul' with his eyes.”

 

Inu Yasha was suddenly picking at his ears and shaking his head. “I know I didn't just here you say that.” He leaned his ear towards Miroku and asked, “Now tell me again, who's she going to have sex with?”

 

“Ses…shou…ma…ru,” he said slowly, stressing each syllable.

 

********

 

Shippo paced as Nishi watched him. She had hoped that he would join her on the soft patch of grass. Instead he walked back and forth, biting his fingernails as he walked. She had opened her mouth to tell him to sit down, but he was suddenly lying on the ground in front of her.

 

“Shippo, are you alright?”

 

“Hehe,” he said jokingly. Remaining on his stomach, he propped his head up with his hand. “I fell over my own foot. I feel so stupid.”

 

“But you look really cute.” She teased as she crawled towards him.

 

“Nishi,” he said in a worried voice. He rolled over onto his back and started to push himself away from her. It was no use; she had his shoulders pinned to the ground. “Nishi, what are you doing?”

 

“What do you think I'm doing?” She giggled and lowered her face closer to his.

 

“Stop flirting with me. It always gets us in trouble.”

 

“But they just told us that we had to. How can we get in trouble when everyone is telling us that it's ok?”

 

“That's not what they mean,” he protested.

 

She threw her leg over his hip and straddled him. Shippo closed his eyes and began to squirm. “This isn't fair, Nishi!”

 

She smiled. “We were told that you need to feed. Denying yourself might hurt you. Now, didn't both Inu Yasha and Miroku just tell you to make up your mind?”

 

“Yes, but this is not going to help me make up my mind. Please, Nishi, get off!”

 

She stopped flirting and let go of his shoulders. The pain showed plainly on her face as she sat back on his hips. “Why don't you want me? Is it that difficult to pick me?”

 

“Why are you so willing, Nishi? I don't understand why you want me so much.”

 

“Why do you think?” She asked in a loud voice.

 

“You crave my power and the physical sensation you get from it!”

 

She couldn't speak over the lump in her throat. She was so frustrated and angry that all she could do was put her hand over her face and cry.

 

To say he felt like an idiot was an understatement. They were going to get nowhere if they could not talk to each other. He had to do something to get over the fear that she wanted him only because of a hunger for his power. Without warning her, he invaded her mind. It was full of chaos and fragmented ideas, but he could still catch the thoughts as they whizzed around her head. She hated being told what to do. She didn't understand why her body wasn't enough to win him over. She hated all the boys in the village for pawing at her. She hated that her family could sell her off to the highest bidder. Most of all, she hated that there was no one who would make it all stop, because no one cared about her happiness.

 

He had caught enough information to make his decision. He sat up and pulled her hands away from her eyes. “Nishi, you may love me, but you want me to treat you just like they do. That's what you're asking me to do.”

 

She sniffled and wiped her eyes. “What are you talking about? I just want you to love me back.”

 

“You want me to love you for your body. You want me to make a deal with your father, so you don't have to marry someone else. You're turning me into another person who needs to make a deal with your father, so that I can own you.”

 

She slowly shook her head back and forth.

 

“Yes, you are. That's exactly what you're doing.”

 

“I love you. I know that I do, and you can't tell me that I don't.”

 

“I'm not saying that you don't love me. You don't know how men act when they love a woman. Kagome never had to flirt with Inu Yasha. He wanted her for who she was, not for what she looked like. Miroku is a total pervert, but Sango didn't win him over by giving into him. If she would've had sex with him, Miroku wouldn't have taken the time to know her. He got to know her because she was able to overlook his pervertedness.”

 

“So if you don't have sex with me…what does that mean?”

 

He placed his hands on the sides of her face, and pulled her forward. Pressing his lips firmly against hers, he let his hands slowly drift down to her shoulders. She tried to continue kissing him as he pulled away.

 

“If I can learn to control myself, then I might just figure out that I do love you. Can touching you like this be enough for now? I can feed like this for awhile. I'm not doing anything that takes that much power anyway.”

 

She could feel the power coming from him. She had to admit that it was difficult to overlook. Struggling to catch her breath, she attempted to answer. However, the best she could manage was a small moan.

 

`Remember that you can always use your thoughts, Nishi. When you can't speak, use your thoughts.'

 

`You can do this as much as you want.'

 

The answer was good enough for him. His lips were on her neck without a second to spare. Heat plunged into her body as his hands squeezed her breasts. With a loose grip on his shoulders she moaned louder as the heat traveled deeper and deeper into her body; touching places that his hands could never touch.

 

He heard the reasoning come together in her mind as she surrendered to him completely. If this was what she had to settle for, she didn't feel the least bit disappointed.

 

******

 

As Rin wandered back to Sesshoumaru, Kagome and Sango made their way closer to their men. They were puzzled by the way that Inu Yasha had been playing with his ears, and Miroku was lying on his back.

 

While Kagome snuggled up against Inu Yasha, Sango dropped down onto her knees next to her husband. For some unknown reason he was repeating Sesshoumaru's name over and over.

 

“Inu Yasha, what have you done to him?” Sango asked.

 

“His mind's finally snapped. He keeps telling me that Rin is going to have sex with Sesshoumaru.”

 

“Can someone else try to explain this to him? Please!” Miroku begged, pulling Sango's hand to his chest.

 

Sango looked at Kagome, and with one look, made it clear that it was not going to be her. Kagome's head dropped and she let out a defeated sigh.

 

“Inu Yasha, Rin is in love with Sesshoumaru. And…I think Sesshoumaru has feelings for her too.”

 

“Am I the only one who hasn't completely lost it? You are saying that `I hate humans'-sama is going to take one as a mate. I could understand Miroku and Sango, but you? Didn't you just stop a fight that began because I'm too `concerned with humans'?”

 

“I know, but when I see him around her…he's attached to her. And Rin…she's so in love with him that it's crazy. She said that he holds her so she can sleep at night. Inu Yasha, she claims that he needs to hold her.”

 

Inu Yasha looked back at Sesshoumaru, who hadn't moved despite Rin's return to his side. Rin appeared to be happy lying on her stomach next to him, while quietly fingering the tiny wildflowers that were in a small patch before her.

 

“There is no way. I can't believe it.”

 

********

 

Sesshoumaru had positioned himself close enough to Inu Yasha that he was able to hear everything that was being said. Normally, he would have found this sort of behavior below his stature. In light of his present situation, however, he could have cared less about eavesdropping on his brother. “Rin?” He said in a distant voice as he watched Inu Yasha turn towards his group of friends.

 

Rin lifted her upper torso with her arms so that she could easily turn to look at him.

 

“You've not eaten today, you should eat soon.”

 

She sat up and brushed her hair back from her face. “Should I go look for food?”

 

“No, Runa is in the forest. I do not trust her to leave you unharmed.”

 

She quickly scampered over to place herself in front of him. The action forced an amused smirk to appear on Sesshoumaru's lips. Thoughtlessly, Rin placed her hands on his knees. Sesshoumaru instantly tensed at her touch, and sent out a burst of cool energy that forced her to pull her hands back. She locked her hands together and held them to her chest as he returned her shocked gaze.

 

“Ooooo, Rin! How dare you be so informal with Sesshoumaru-sama?” Jaken squealed.

 

Ignoring him, Rin swallowed her fear and returned her hands to Sesshoumaru's knees.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes went wide from the boldness of the action. He couldn't look way.

 

Jaken howled as Rin moved herself forward an inch, so that she could be at a more comfortable distance for her arms.

 

“Jaken!” Sesshoumaru growled through his teeth.

 

Jaken fell to his knees in fear and began to rapidly babble something about his apologies, but Sesshoumaru didn't care about this. He was too busy noticing that Rin had flinched at the sound of his voice. He hadn't been able to control how harsh his voice sounded. He was too shaken by the combination of her courage and the fear that they might be seen. It made his voice rougher than he had meant it to be.

 

Needless to say, Jaken's overly dramatic display was attracting the attention of the others. Inu Yasha had already been looking his way, but now, the entire group was taking note of him. He wasn't ready to deal with the humiliation that was sure to come from this scene. Being the master of control that he was, he blocked their eyes out of his mind, and softened his voice as he asked, “You wanted to say something?”

 

She nodded timidly before responding, “Could I ask the others if they would like food too?”

 

A sudden fear of rejection came over him. He had to close his eyes to remain in control as he mentally beat himself for allowing such stupidity to overcome him. Although he had tried to push the question down, he couldn't stop from asking, “Would you prefer the company of humans over mine?” As soon as he said it, he clenched his hand into a fist at his side. Making sure that she couldn't see what he was doing to his hand, he forced the nails deep into his palm.

 

“Could I have them and you, too?”

 

The answer brought him relief, but not happiness. He would have taken any excuse to torture himself just a little more. It would've been better than admitting that her wanting him near her could bring the slightest amount of comfort to his mind.

 

“Jaken, I will be sending you to find food in a moment. Be ready.”

 

Jaken watched stupefied as Sesshoumaru stood to his feet and began walking towards Inu Yasha and the group.

 

**********

 

 

Inu Yasha's expression was more than enough to make Sesshoumaru curse Karen for putting him in this position of helplessness. He never in his life wanted revenge on anyone the way he did on his mother in this one moment.

 

Sesshoumaru didn't give anyone time to speak. He wanted this done quickly and with as little damage to his pride as possible. Looking at Inu Yasha, he said, “I am sending Jaken to find food for Rin. Do you need food as well?”

 

Both couples looked up at him in a daze, unsure of how to respond to his offer.

 

“Uh, arigatou, Sesshoumaru,” Kagome answered.

 

Looking back at Miroku, Inu Yasha grumbled sarcastically, “Feh, he doesn't even care enough to get her food on his own. Oh, you are all so full of it!”

 

“My mating habits do not require your approval,” Sesshoumaru stated coldly.

 

Inu Yasha's eyes snapped back to his brother's face. “You've heard it all haven't you?”

 

“Of course, I have keener senses because my blood is pure…unlike yours.”

 

Inu Yasha sprang to his feet before Kagome could stop him. “Well, tell them that I'm right? Tell them how you would only lower yourself by mating with a human. Go ahead!”

 

“Inu Yasha!” Kagome exclaimed as Rin stopped at Sesshoumaru's side.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red for an instant. “I have had enough of you. I came to you with kindness and all you can do is throw it back in my face.”

 

“What kindness, you were going to have your toad bring us food. What does that cost you?”

 

Sesshoumaru was ready to lash out at Inu Yasha with his hand, when Rin placed herself between them. She slid her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist and he stopped moving. Her head was peacefully resting against his armor, just below the bone that edged the top of the breastplate, when Sesshoumaru lowered his head to look at her. It was like the air had been knocked out of him. The anger was suddenly gone and he was left blinking at the top of her head.

 

Inu Yasha was also speechless as he had watched Sesshoumaru's body relax at Rin's touch. He could understand to some degree what was happening, because Kagome had a similar affect on him. However, something was very different. Inu Yasha knew that he didn't have the knowledge to see what made it different, but he had the instinct to sense it.

 

“Rin?” Sesshoumaru had to force the word to come out of his mouth.

 

“Rin-chan let him go!” Kagome said forcefully. “You've done what you wanted. You'll hurt him if you do much more.”

 

Rin let him go, but kept her closeness to him.

 

“What did she just do to him?” Inu Yasha asked.

 

“She purified part of his youki,” Miroku answered in awe.

 

“I think she only wanted to take the fight out of him,” Kagome added. “Am I right, Rin-chan?”

 

Rin nodded in response to Kagome. “I didn't mean to hurt you, Sesshoumaru-sama. I just didn't want you to fight Inu Yasha-sama,” she explained.

 

“How…how did she…?” Sesshoumaru was looking into her sincere face, while fighting to catch his breath. He was weak, but able to stand without a great deal of effort.

 

“I don't know. I think that she has figured out something that I missed. Maybe this is what I was supposed to learn, so that I could handle Inu Yasha's youki. I just don't know how it's done.”

 

“I won't do it again. I just wanted you to stop. You didn't want to fight, but that was what you were going to do. I didn't want you to do something that would cause you any more pain.”

 

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome in utter confusion. “Why now? She has never done this before.”

 

“I grew up a miko, but I never understood what that meant. I had no idea that I really had the power until I had to use it. I guess it is the same with Rin-chan. Now that she knows she has the ability, she's attempting to use it.”

 

Rin looked up at him and examined his face as he talked to Kagome. She could see how weak she had made him. She could feel the panic inside his chest. Rin wanted to take back what she had done, because she hadn't meant to make him weak. She had meant to make him peaceful.

 

Sesshoumaru felt the air change, and so did Kagome and Miroku. Sesshoumaru immediately looked at Rin, who was reaching up to touch his face. He wanted to move before her hand could touch him again, but his body wouldn't obey him. He felt the warmth of her hand and a sense of calm as her healing power poured over him. Closing his eyes, he let that power seep into his skin. It was so different than what he had expected to feel. It wasn't painful. It was the opposite, it was bliss. There had been no time to fight, so he couldn't tell himself that he didn't want to feel it. She had made the decision for him, and it was exactly what he wanted more than anything; to be still and feel close to another being.

 

“Sess…Sesshoumaru-sama,” Jaken whined in a shaky voice.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open. Jaken's voice acted as a reminder that he wasn't comfortable with being touched so intimately. Gently, he removed Rin's hand from his cheek. He watched her face carefully as he held her wrist and lowered her hand. When her hand was level with his chest, he loosened his grip and waited for her to move away on her own. She hadn't seemed to mind his response. The sweetness in her features never changed once in the time that her hand was being lowered.

 

When she was no longer touching him, Sesshoumaru said, “Stay here, Jaken. I will go for the food. Stay with Rin.” He then quickly turned to walk away.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” Rin called out and began to follow.

 

Inu Yasha grabbed her arm. “Let him go, Rin. He needs to be alone.”

 

The words made Sesshoumaru stop and glance back at Inu Yasha. For a split second, when they exchanged glances, Sesshoumaru was grateful for Inu Yasha's interference. In one silent moment, it was clear that Inu Yasha understood the humiliation that he was feeling. There was no need for words or hesitation; a quiet pause and eye contact was all that was needed between men. Respectfully, Inu Yasha led Rin closer to their group and gave her a place to wait for Sesshoumaru to return. In the same fashion, Sesshoumaru turned and quietly set off to accomplish his task.

 

 

 

Family Tree

 

 

Karen Yasha - Inu Dai ___________ - _________(will fill in later)

| |

Sesshoumaru Izayoi - Inu Dai

|

Inu Yasha

 

 

 

Karen Yasha - Shinta Higurashi Ran Yasha - Rin's Mom

| |

Yumeko Higurashi - Takashi Sakurai Rin

|

|----------------------------------------|

Kagome Higurashi Souta Higurashi

 

 

 

 

Karen - demi-god(Yasha)

 

Inu Dai- dog youkai

 

Sesshoumaru-