InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Know, To Will, To Dare or Keep Silent? ❯ To Dare ( Chapter 3 )

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

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Sesshoumaru or Rin, or any character from InuYasha.

A/N: 3 of 4 - Next chapter is a lemon!

Truth be told, Sesshoumaru had no idea how to put action to his plan of changing Rin's view of him. His mere existence and presence was usually more than enough to inspire lust and romantic notions from the females and those males who preferred males he came into contact with.

Hell, even Jaken harbored obvious lustful inclinations toward him, and he never did anything to acknowledge the little imp beyond letting him carry his things and beating him on occasion.

So… What to do?

Well, one thing was for sure; walking ahead in silence while Rin remained several steps behind also saying nothing was not going to accomplish the task.

He slowed his pace, and annoyingly, Rin adjusted hers to remain behind him. He was going to have to be a bit more obvious. Sesshoumaru came to a complete halt, and called to his traveling companion, "Walk with me, Rin."

At the sound of his voice, Rin was pulled away from staring longingly… The sway of his silver hair as he walked along with that perfectly consistent gait was hypnotizing. How had she never noticed that when she'd traveled with him those few years ago?

Sesshoumaru slid his glance over his shoulder, while Rin stared rather stupidly, trying to comprehend his meaning… Wasn't she already walking with him?

"Rin." He commanded more sharply, and suddenly she understood. He wanted her to be walking at his side. Well, that made sense, she reasoned. It was quickly becoming dark and with no moon to light the way he could most certainly keep a better eye on her if she was not bringing up the rear.

"Ah… Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin chirped with false gaiety as she shuffled quickly toward his position, her tighter kimono making her leg movements awkward, "Coming Sesshoumaru-sama!"

He'd never thought the sound of his own name with such a respectful honorific used in conjunction could ever annoy him so much. Can't you just call me Sesshoumaru-san? Sesshoumaru-kun? Even just… Sesshoumaru?

Considering that Rin was, unquestioningly the closest person in the world to him, the -sama she addressed him with was almost… depressing.

He truly had no… "friends". Rin was the closest he had to a friend and even she had placed herself at a distance as she'd grown older. There had been no such tension or awkwardness when she'd been a child.

She had never stood on formality with him when they had traveled together before. Rin had quite naturally claimed a place at his side when he walked, or even skipped headlong in front of him, picking her flowers and dancing her dances, occasionally pestering Jaken into games.

She would call to him and scamper around him, carefree and happy without any consideration for his station. She was the only one who treated him as though he were a real, actual personinstead of holding him on a pedestal and imposing impossible-to-live-up expectations on him.

When had that changed?

Her 'hug' earlier… She'd been so… Uncomfortable. He would refuse to use the word 'fearful', even in his own mind, but in the pit of his stomach he knew the truth.

In that moment, she'd been just a little… afraid… of him.

In childhood she'd slept on his lap each night he was at camp - often without his armor; and now she was afraid to even hug him.

Why had this changed?

Rin arrived at his side, looking up at him with concern. He seemed… troubled by something. Had she already displeased him somehow? Was it her hesitation in coming to him when he'd called for her? Was he still angry about her hugging him?

"I'm sorry." Apologizing felt natural, even if she wasn't entirely sure what she was apologizing for. Unfortunately, her apology seemed to have the opposite effect Rin desired and instead his brow furrowed even more deeply.

His golden eyes focused sharply on her, and he asked a question Rin didn't know exactly how to answer.

"What is it that now makes you uncomfortable about being in the presence of This Sesshoumaru?"

Rin's eyes went wide, and again she found herself stammering, "Rin… Rin is not… Rin is fine! Rin is not uncomfortable!" She desperately tried to reassure him… But… Why on earth did he evencare?

"You are lying." He said smoothly.

Rin hung her head in contrition, feeling incredibly stupid for forgetting he could scent dishonesty. "I'm… Sorry." Her hands started to sweat as she rung them out in front of her. Her first visit with him was not exactly off to a great start… Rin fought the urge to bolt and run right back to that horrid village, if only to stop herself from displeasing him any more. He probably never wants to see me again… That's what this is… He's going to say that if he makes me so uncomfortable, then mabe it's best he just stay away. I'll never see him again and then I'll really, finally be totally and completely alone… again.

Rin's panicked thoughts were racing around in her head, each more awful than the last.

Sesshoumaru stared down and the girl in front of him. She was now… had become… a very familiar stranger… A stranger whose every muscle was tense and whose weight rested on the balls of their feet and whose hip was almost imperceptibly cocked while the knee of the same side was slightly bent…

She was going to run.

Run from him.

For so long he had been the one that she ran to in times of trouble and now, foolish and hopeless as it was, her body language spoke of her clear desire to get away from him.

Unacceptable.

This will never work… I won't have her apologizing every few moments throughout this entire trip, and Rin will most certainly not ever run from me.

This awkwardness ends, now.

He quickly surveyed their surroundings, seeing a very large tree only twenty strides away and made up his mind.

A bright flash of light, the ground falling away and her stomach dropping… That's all Rin felt for several moments before she registered the warmth of two arms - one beneath her knees and the other wrapped around her shoulder blades - holding her against a warm chest.

Almost as quickly as she registered the feeling though, it was gone and Rin found herself surrounded by a sea of green foliage. Her head swam at the sudden change, and her first instinct was to jump in shock, but the second her body flinched she felt herself restrained once again by two arms. "Do not fall."

Only then did Rin realize she was one, in Sesshoumaru's lap and two, they were both precariously pearched on a large tree branch, very high off the ground.

With little other choice, Rin flung herself against him and held on for dear life. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

He smirked at his obvious genius. "There is nowhere to run, Rin."

"What did you… ? No, never mind… Why did Sesshoumaru-sama put us in a tree?" Her ire was clear, and for once she was not cowering, apologizing, or acting like he might rip her head off at any moment… This was… progress…

Sesshoumaru congratulated himself once again. This was obviously the very best way to go about things… Obviously.

"It is clear you are no longer completely at ease with this Sesshoumaru. You will state your fears, and this Sesshoumaru will either confirm their validity, or offer reassurances. Now, you will speak, Rin."

"What ? Get us down!"

"No." He frowned.

"Look, its fine… We're fine… Just… put me down, please!"

She was so flustered, that he couldn't help but to inwardly laugh at her. As if he would ever allow her to fall... Silly girl.

Outwardly, he kept a stoic face and took a deep sigh, "Rin." His arms tightened around her waist, offering at least some reassurance of her safety from the physical danger of falling. He pushed her head against his chest and waited… If she ran true to form, she would calm in a moment. Her nightmares as a child gave him valuable experience in this arena.

Sure enough, her breathing quieted, but as she slowly took stock of her position and his, the telltale heat was creeping up her cheeks and she was glad her face was hidden, though she was certain he could hear her heartbeat in her chest. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He raised an eyebrow, not quite sure of her meaning, "Holding you?"

"Embarrassing me." Rin clarified.

"I have held you many times like this before." Sesshoumaru stated logically.

"But that was… Different." Rin sighed. Gods in the heavens he just had to be so damn logical all the time, didn't he?

"How so?" Sesshoumaru could feel himself react to the warm weight in his lap, her scent… So close.

"I was… little then." Rin blushed even harder, "I'm… Not a little girl anymore."

"This Sesshoumaru is… aware." His own breathing was increasing, and he shifted himself slightly beneath her, both accommodating his semi-turgid state and concealing it from the young woman in his arms.

"Sesshoumaru-sama… please… I… you'll hate me. You'll… you'll leave." She bit back the tears she could feel thickening her throat, and finally pulled her head out of his chest to look at him.

He made a show of looking around, "There is nowhere for this Sesshoumaru to go."

Rin caught the sour laugh in her throat, and sagged against him once more, settling deep in the folds of his hakama, "You'll still hate me." Unconsciously, Rin's fingers snuck between the fold of his kimono's neckline, and when she felt the heat of bare flesh against her fingertips, she recoiled, her fingers curling and her fingernails scraping lightly across his firm pectoral.

He growled, deep in his chest… Trying desperately not to thrust up against her or shiver when he felt her nails drag over his flesh, "Try me." His hand slid from her shoulders down to the small of her back, and under the excess material of the tie of her obi so he could stroke lightly up and down her spine with the very tips of his non-clawed fingers.

He was rewarded with a full shudder, and a nearly imperceptible purring noise escaping from between the pursed lips of the girl in his lap.

The scent slowly filling the air around him could not be mistaken. He moved his hand up her back, slowly making his way to her neck and massaging the tense muscles he found there slowly. "Rrrriiinnn…"

He caught her head cradled in his large palm, threading his fingers in her hair when she tilted her chin up and back to look at him with large, troubled eyes.

The look of shock on his face was clear to her, who could read him so well. There was no doubt in her mind he understood now, "You… Sesshoumaru-sama is disgusted, isn't he? He thinks Rin is stupid…"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes with a triumphant and altogether wicked, predatory smirk.

Masculine smugness filled him, "You want me."

It was not a question.

In the bushes below:

Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango had all gone looking for Rin when she didn't return at dusk and now the entire group stood staring up at the large tree, where they could just make out the sight of Sesshoumaru and Rin kissing deeply while hands flew in all directions.

"What are they saying?" Kagome whispered.

"How the hell should I know? I'm human tonight!" Inuyasha replied.

"Told you, so." Miroku piped up, "Not even half a mile…"

"I knew it!" Sango agreed. :"Dog demons only get so protective over mates… I knew he'd try something once she got older!"

"Keh, she ain't complaining." Inuyasha pointed out.