InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Little Words ❯ Little Words ( Chapter 1 )

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Little Words
Author:MiraJade

Subject: Inuyasha
Genre: General
Length: One-shot
characters: Sesshomaru, Rin

Summary: Rin can't understand why Sesshomaru hates his brother so much. Especially when she'd do anything to have her family back. Maybe a little human girl can help the stubborn Taiyoukai just how idiotic their feud really is. Not a RS fic people.

AN: Secretly I never want them to get along. To many fabulous humor fics would be flushed down the drain, and then I'd just be sad. I don't write well when I'm sad. Still, you have to admit that their feud is really pathetic. You can only try to kill your siblings so many times. I should know, I have two sisters, and for some reason they still live. Although something tells me that if I had poison claws, and a ferocious alter ego, and my sister had the Tetsaiga, then we'd be at each others throats constantly.

Anyway. On with the story.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine. Shocked? Yeah, me too.

It was amazing how necessary humans found talking.

Nonstop she'd ramble. On and on she talked as she reveled in the new found ability of her vocal cords. Nothing was to small to escape her notice, and nothing was too trivial to prevent her from commenting on it. From 'Sesshomaru-sama! Look at the flowers in that field! Can we please stop and pick some?' To 'Sesshomaru-sama? Why are you always so mean to poor Jaken? He's really going to get hurt one of these days.' And 'Sesshomaru-sama, look at Ah-un, doesn't he look sick to you? Rin hopes that he is not sick, or else we'd have to stop and find a doctor. Unless my lord's sword works on animals. Does it work on animals? Or do you have to already be dead? What about colds? Does it work on colds? Rin sure hopes so. The last time Rin had a cold . . .'

The little human girl went on about the concoctions that she was oh-so-brutally forced to take, and how she was so dramatically confined to her room. Finished with that Rin paused for a split second before going off on another subject. Ahead of her on the mountain trail Sesshomaru closed his eyes unseen from the small human. The nearly overpowering urge to cover his ears with his 'tail' came over him, and he fought the ridiculous urge down. Really? How immature could he get? Still . . . she wouldn't stop talking. A low growl threatened to slip past his tightly clamped lips, yet he knew that the animalistic response would accomplish absolutely nothing, and in the end would only scare her.

To think that he had worried about her when she was mute.

Sighing in annoyance he pushed her voice to the back of his mind and walked resolutely forward. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Rin jogging slightly to keep up. Although he'd never admit to doing so he shortened his long strides to accommodate her much shorter legs. He would have to stop soon for her. She looked as if she was getting tired. She's never complain though.

At the edges of his consciousness his alter ego stirred lazily. 'The things you do for the ningen, your patience really is remarkable. You should have let her go a long time ago.' Sesshomaru ignored his youkai, really not wanting to get into another pointless debate with himself. Still he pondered on his blood beast's statement, and at length he moved to defend himself.'She normally isn't a hindrance at all. She's obedient, self-sufficient, quiet-' The last word echoed wistfully in his mind.

The voice scoffed. 'Anyone else would have been gone a long time ago.' His golden eyes narrowed as he heard the suppressed laughter in his other side's voice. 'She's made you soft.'

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed further in protective anger as he imagined tearing the voice to shreds with poison claws and lethal fangs. A morbid satisfaction filled him as the voice went silent.

“Sesshomaru-sama, your eyes are turning red.”

At the sound of Rin's amused voice he blinked furiously until Rin nodded in satisfaction at seeing the familiar golden orbs once again. He tried to ignore the fact that his other half was laughing historically.

He came to a stop with a sigh as his youkai faded to the back of his thoughts. Before them laid a large field of the brightly colored flowers that Rin was so fond of picking. It would be good for her to rest for awhile. It was a long journey back to the Western citadel, and after yesterday's side trip with the hanyou it seemed even longer.

She stopped as he did, her brandy brown eyes lighting up at the sight of the flowers around her, yet she didn't immediately go running off. He payed it no head as he lowered himself to the ground, and leaned comfortably back against one of the large trees that framed the edge of the field. She looked around for a moment before moving to plop down next the him. Her hands immediately found a blade of grass to play with as her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He closed his own eyes contentedly at the silence that fell over them, content to just sit here as Rin played.

A few moments latter he opened his eyes again to find her still sitting next to him. He had expected her to jump up and start exploring at any moment. His eyes moved to her expression, and was surprised to see the troubled look that crossed her face. Hesitation marred his elegant features for a moment as he wondered what to do. Why was he always so uncertain around her?

His blood beast resurfaced as it narrowed it's figurative eyes. 'Please don't tell me that you are concerned. It already worries me that you've tolerated her pressance for so long, and now you're taking a personal interest? She's a human

Sesshomaru payed half attention to his alter ego. 'No? Really. I hadn't noticed.'

His youkai humped and said, 'It's too ironic. Your father would have died of laughter if he knew what a spin your life has taken. You, wasting so much time and energy on a ningen.'

A few more uncomfortable moments past as he quarreled with himself before Rin looked up at him in consideration. He finally broke. Firmly pushing away his blood beast he asked “What troubles you?”

He could smell her discomfort as her eyes darted away furtively. He wasn't a prying person, and he waited for her to decide to speak. “Sesshomaru-sama, Rin has a confession to make.”

He studied his ward in curious concern wondering what she could possibly have to confess. It wasn't as if she had that many opportunities to do anything truly serious. He nodded silently, giving her permission to continue.

She saw his nod, and her eyes continued their uncertain dance. Finally she said, “Yesterday when my lord left, and told Rin to stay with Ah-un, Rin did not do as Sesshomaru-sama commanded Rin too.” Rin stopped as if wondering how to continue.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as memories from the previous days came back unbidden. It had been another day traveling home when his idiot brother's scent came to him on the wind. His youkai had seen red, and he had left Rin behind to engage Inuyasha in another fruitless battle. His blood beast snorted in annoyance at that particular memory. No matter how many times he held the upper hand in a battle he seemed to never be able to land the killing blow.

Either because of his brother's skill, or his own unwillingness, he wasn't so sure.

Rin noticed her guardian's narrowed stare, and continued quickly, “Rin wanted to be good! Really! It's just that . . . being good's hard! Rin tried really hard though Sesshomaru-sama! Really!” Huge brown eyes gazed up at him imploringly.

He ignored the puppy gaze as he asked, “What happened?”

Rin blushed faintly when she realized that she must have sounded like Jaken with her repetitive pleading. Pulling herself together and went on, “Rin was being good, and waited as my lord instructed, but . . . waiting got boring, so when Ah-un fell asleep-” She missed the subtle glare that the Taiyoukai sent the sheepish looking dragon. “-When Ah-Un wasn't looking, Rin followed her lord Sesshomaru to the clearing where you fought the one who wore red.”

He winced as she said what he had feared. He was careful to never involve Rin in his more . . . dubious activities, and never involved her in his more violent conflicts. The last thing he wanted her to see was him in a uncontrolled state. She had suffered so much at the hands of Youkai already, and she didn't need to see the blood lust he experienced in his primal form. He settled for an impassive look as he prompted Rin on though.

Obviously gathering her courage Rin asked, “Why would my lord be fighting his brother?”

Sesshomaru didn't bother to hide his surprise as he gaped at the preceptive little human. He had never mentioned Inuyasha. As far as Rin was aware of he had no family except for her. To pin a complete stranger as his brother . . . “How did you . . . how did you . . .”

Rin finished. “How did Rin know?”

Sesshomaru could only nod as he looked expectantly at her. Rin leaned in closer to him and said in a conspiratorial voice, “Your eyes.” She pointed a stubby finger at his golden irises. “The one you fought had the exact same color. Only my lord and the one in red have that color eyes.” She smiled. “Although his eyes were funny when he was losing. My lord's forehead doesn't furl like that when he is frustrated, and his eyebrows are bushier.” She laughed at that and Sesshomaru had to fight back a grin.

“Was that it?” He asked in curiosity.

She thought for a moment before shaking her head and continuing, “He's shorter, yet his hair is just like yours. He's the only other person that I've seen ever to resemble my lord. He seemed to . . . to . . .,” She paused as she searched for the right word, “Brash. He seemed to brash to be my lord's father, or elder family member, so he must be my lord's brother.” She looked curiously at Sesshomaru. “Was Rin correct?”

Sesshomaru stared at Rin in amazement. “Yes. Inuyasha is my half-brother.”

“Inuyasha.” Rin said the name thoughtfully. “Lord Inuyasha is only your half-brother?”

“Yes.” Sesshomaru replied, wondering how to simplify their . . . interesting relationship. “And he isn't a Lord.” He saw Rin's confusion and went on to explain. “We share the same father only. His mother is a human.” No matter how hard he tried the last word came out as a curse. It always managed to, and he winced at the look on Rin's face.

“A human? . . . A human like Rin?”

“Yes a human, but not like you.” He quelled the odd urge he had to apologize to her. Instead he choose to explain a few things about his past to the curious little girl.”Following the death of his life mate, my mother, my father chose to remarry. He chose as his mate a princess of your ningen lands.”

Rin's eyes perked up. “A princess.” She said in awe.

Sesshomaru fought back a sudden stab of anger that was hundreds of years old. “By your people's standards she was a Princess, yet her title had absolutely no standing in my father's court. Eventually she had Inuyasha. The hanyou you saw yesterday.”

Rin looked down with a serious expression as she absorbed the information. “So Inuyasha is my lord's brother, your family?”

“He is my half-brother, yet not my family.”

“How can this be?” Rin asked with a child's innocence. Truly unable to understand. “He shares my lord's blood, my lords connections and skills.” She thought about the skill the one called Inuyasha had shown wielding the giant sword against Sesshomaru.

“He is nothing like me.” Sesshomaru found his voice rising slightly, and regretted it.

Rin blinked curiously at the vehemence in the usually stoic Taiyoukai's voice. Confusion colored her deep brown eyes. “He doesn't have to be like my lord, to be part of my lord's family.”

“What do you mean by this?”

“Rin had a brother as well. A big brother.” Rin started uncertainly and Sesshomaru listened curiously. Rin had never spoken about her murdered family. “He was so smart and talented, and always made Rin feel so small. Father always favored Rin's brother. Nothing we did was the same, and he loved to pick on Rin.”

This story was sounding way to familiar for his taste, still he listened as Rin continued. “He made Rin cry a lot, but . . .” Her eyes glazed over, lost in a far off memory. “Still, he was always there for Rin when she was scared, or other kids picked on Rin for being small. His hug comforted Rin just as much as mommy's did, and the bullies stopped hurting Rin when her brother stood up to them. He made Rin feel like Rin could do anything.”

She was silent as she as she leaned up against Sesshomaru, her head buried in his 'tail.' At length she said softly, so softly that he wouldn't have been able to hear her without his youkai senses, “Rin loved him.”

Sesshomaru was silent as he held the little girl in a rare moment of permitted contact. His and Inuyasha's relationship hadn't always been so strained. They had even gotten along reasonably well at one time. Distant memories of protecting Inuyasha from the jeers and taunts of the other noble children; and reading father's scrolls aloud to the curious pup came to the front of his mind. He squirmed uncomfortably. He had hated for so long, the thought of anything else was foreign and confusing. He didn't know what he'd do without that hate.

Rin looked up again. “It hurt when he died, and I'd do anything to have them back.”

Sesshomaru looked down at the girl curled up at his side. She went on and said, “I just don't want you to hurt like Rin if you ever hurt him.” He was quiet as he let her heartfelt lesson go to his heart. How does one undo hundreds of years of hate. Did he want to let go?

He sighed again as he hugged the little girl tightly before rising slowly.”Thank-you Rin for your concern.” he looked down at the little girl. “Yet, now I believe that you still want to pick some flowers. I believe you've waited long enough.”

A smile split Rin's face as she jumped up happily. Her sorrows forgotten, as she looked excitedly out over the large field. She took two bounding steps before turning around to look at Sesshomaru. Curiosity once again covered her small features. “You're only Inuyasha's half brother, is that why he has ears like Rin's old dog?”

Sesshomaru had to quell the strange urge to laugh at her observation. “yes Rin.” He said with fond patience. She nodded before running off. Once again all smiles and youth. Sesshomaru sat back down as she left, letting the sound of her laughter wash over him in soothing waves. Truly being at peace for the first time in at least a hundred years.

For a moment all was right between the Taiyoukai and the human.

FIN

MJ