InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Patchwork Family ❯ Happiness, Sadness, and the Power of Chocolate ( Chapter 12 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Old memories are unexpectedly dredged up, and a powerful piece of advice is handed out by a large heart in a little body.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Supernatural / Romance / Psychological / Drama / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.21.2014 | Updated On: 06.05.2016 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.1K | Visits: 583 | Status: Completed

A/N: All Inuyasha characters and references belong to the creator of Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi and published by Shogakukan. Any other characters are more than likely my own creation. If I borrow directly from another story I will do my best to make sure I give credit where credit is due.

***

Rosalind waited until she heard Sesshomaru close the front door before she sucked in an unsteady breath. Her own thoughts had also wandered back to the ordeal four years ago- and she suddenly felt cold. She let her breath out in a whoosh as she leaned forward and set her forehead on the table. The charge in the air seemed to dissipate now that Sesshomaru was gone, and she felt her muscles slowly relax. Maybe she would go down to the beach. A walk might make her feel better; clear her head… if that was possible.

She very purposefully didn’t think of the time she’d spent at the docks. That experience, among other things, still gave her nightmares if she wasn’t careful. There was no point. She couldn’t change any of it. The only thing she could do was bury the memories like the slimy, dead things they were, and move on. It had worked when she’d been a child, and then when she’d been a teenager. It was the way one survived in a world that wanted only to use you and throw you away. Rosalind pulled in deep lung-fulls of air through her nose, reciting this mantra and trying to clear the prick of tears she felt behind her eyes. She was in a good place, with people who treated her well and liked her; cared for her.

She sat up quickly when she heard a small voice ask, “what’s the matter Rosie?”

Rin stood, dressed in school clothes, clutching the corner of the door frame and looking concerned. Rosalind smiled and shook her head, holding an arm out in invitation. “Nothing’s the matter Rin. I’m just tired.”

Rin took the half dozen steps and climbed into her lap. Rosalind hugged her and tucked the girl’s long hair away from her face. “Almost ready? Do you want me to braid your hair back?”

Rin nodded, pulling a bright orange hair tie from her pocket. She slid to her feet and Rosalind turned so she could comb her fingers through long brown hair. As she gently wove a braid down the back of the girl’s head she heard Rin ask, “are you sad?”

Rosalind bit her lip a moment before she said, “a little, I suppose. I’ll miss my apartment. But I’m happy to be here.” That was true enough. She didn’t tell lies. She’d learned a long time ago it wasn’t usually necessary; and in the end it often wouldn’t work around demons like Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, who could smell the truth of things on you. That truth worked just fine if used selectively, and was easier to keep track of.

After she tied the braid off, Rin turned around to face her. She leaned forward and hugged Rosalind again and told her, “Otosan says it’s ok to be sad sometimes. He says if I never let myself be sad when something hurts, then it never really stop hurting me. If I let myself be sad for a little while, then it stops hurting so much and I can be happy and strong.”

The little girl looked old beyond her years for a moment and the young woman felt her heart ache. She had put all bothersome memories of her own to the side for now, and could tell Rin was thinking about her mother. Quietly Rosalind said, “Papa’s a smart man. Are you sad?”

Rin thought about this and shook her head. “Sometimes I am. I wish I had a mom like the other kids at school. But I know she can’t come back. Papa gave me this.” The child pulled a small gold necklace out from under her collar. The thin chain held a little round locket with a crescent moon inscribed on the front. When she opened it, Rosalind could see a picture of Rhiannon. The woman really had been a beauty.

Rosalind’s heart squeezed a little. “I miss her too Rin. I know she’s proud of what a big beautiful girl you are.”

Rin closed the locket and sighed, “I hope so.”

Just then the sounds of Shippo, Shiori, and Miroku coming down the hall invaded the moment. They both turned as the guys came through the door to the kitchen. Miroku was looking at the clock anxiously as he passed out the three small backpacks on his arm. “Time to go, kiddos.”

Rin looked around and asked, “where’s Papa?”

Rosalind explained, “he just left to go for a walk with Gabriel. If you hurry you might catch him and say goodbye.”

That did the trick and Miroku shot her a grateful look and a thumbs up as he ran to the front door after the kids. Rosalind smiled and stood. She made her way back to her bedroom and with a sigh, admitted that she actually was tired. Maybe a nap first, then she would go for a walk. Briefly she wondered if Sesshomaru’s grief over his mate had lessened any. It seemed as though it had, but he was so private about personal feelings and opinions that it was never easy to tell.

It had been years now since Rhiannon had passed away but she’d been here for the event. She’d helped the nurse maid care for Rin as a newborn, now without a mother. She had seen Sesshomaru’s grief and wondered how a person could still be intact after such an experience. She had watched from a distance as the demon threw himself into his work and the building of this home by the sea. Rin looked so much like her mother. She was eight years old now. Rosalind supposed that must not be terribly long after all, not to someone as old as Sesshomaru.

***

Sesshomaru didn’t bother changing his clothing. It wouldn’t matter. For their purposes he would be wearing a lesser version of his fur anyway. When he stepped outside he found Gabriel sitting on the steps in grease-stained jeans and the same gray t-shirt. The ocean lay about a hundred yards away at low tide. Pale sunlight of a new day shone on calm waters. He hadn’t been swimming in a long time and he felt the urge now. They had a heated salt filter swimming pool in the back but it wasn’t the same as swimming in open water.

The pool had been put in because Rin loved to swim and he’d been unwilling to let her swim in the ocean until recently. She’d been too small, and too precious. Even so, she still wasn’t allowed in either body of water without someone he trusted watching. He didn’t know what he would do if anything happened to her. Sometimes those few humans that were cleared to be here would use the pool as well and seemed to enjoy it. On the rare occasions many of them were together here, they’d walked down the beach to swim in a small inlet around the other side of the stone ridge that rose at the back of the property. Then they could all go swimming if they chose. Rosalind loved to swim, he now recalled. She’d been in the water every day it was warm enough when she was growing up.

Gabriel’s voice cut into his train of thought, amusement clear in his tone. “So when did the mighty Sesshomaru start scrubbing pans?” Sesshomaru felt the comment deserved nothing more than a hard look, which it got. Gabriel chuckled and threw up his hands. “No offense meant, sir, just curious.”

After a long moment Sesshomaru said, “unless someone makes her, she will not sit down and take care of herself until everyone else is seen to. She works hard.” Privately, the thought crossed his mind that this was, on some levels, an admirable quality.

Gabriel nodded, face becoming a little more serious. “You’re probably right. I’ll try to make sure we take shifts stepping in to clean up. I’ll mention it to the rest of the crew. Someone’s usually around.” Sesshomaru nodded and stepped, his feet bare, onto the sandy front path. “Let’s go, I must be back before long. We’ll make the round of the property a few times. I want to check the caves on the sea-side boundary, too.”

Gabriel got to his feet and asked, “do you think Koga and Ayame could have missed something?” Sesshomaru gave a stiff shrug, rolling his shoulder muscles in preparation for the change of shape and form. “It’s possible. The rain made it harder to scent so I want to be sure. Has Inuyasha already left?”

Just then Rin and Shippo came out the front door, followed by Miroku with Shiori in his arms, It was Miroku who answered the question. “Yes, I had to get the keys from him before he took off on the boat.”

Rin ran up to Sesshomaru and he pulled her easily into his arms. She laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Bye Papa.”

“Goodbye little one, behave yourself and be careful. No waiting outside with the others this week. Tell Mrs. Hunsley your dad said to wait inside. They’ll let you stay in the library. Just work on homework until Miroku or Sango comes get you. Tell her you aren’t to leave with anyone else, Shippo either.”

Rin nodded her understanding, looking a little bummed, but obedient. “I wrote notes for both their teachers that I’ll give the secretary when we get there,” Miroku said. “She’ll watch out for them. That woman could have worked for the Department of Homeland Security. I’m glad Shiori’s preschool is on the same premises.”

Sesshomaru felt a little of his concern ebb and he nodded his thanks before he gave Rin a squeeze. Rin sighed and said quietly, “I think Rosie’s sad. She might need a hug too.”

The three men all looked at her for a moment before Sesshomaru said, “I’ll take care of Rosalind. Don’t worry for her.” Rin smiled, a little mischievously and said, “maybe you could bring home ice cream. That always makes me feel better. It might help her too.”

Miroku and Gabriel grinned at the underhanded tactic and Sesshomaru let out a quiet sound of amusement. “You think so, do you?” Rin nodded, her face the picture of authority on the matter.

Sesshomaru pretended to think for a moment, then asked, “chocolate or vanilla?”

Rin and Shippo said together, “chocolate!” and Sesshomaru nodded. “ Chocolate it is. I’ll see what we can do.” He set Rin down and watched as she and Shippo ran to the van.

Miroku grinned and shrugged his dark gray suit jacket on. “You know- she may be right. It’s been a rough week for everyone, the girls in particular. A little comfort food might not go amiss. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since I married Sango, it’s never to underestimate the healing powers of fat and sugar.”

Sesshomaru had never fully understood this concept but took the recommendation to heart. “I wish I had a set of claws to send with you but we’re out of bodies I would trust to that extent at the moment. Call if anything outside the norm happens.”

Miroku nodded, pulling his keys out and heading towards the dented old van with a salute. “Not a problem, Sesshomaru. I may be a puny human but I got this covered.”