InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Torn ❯ One Last Obstacle ( Chapter 16 )

~*~

 

 

 

Chapter 16

 

One Last Obstacle

 

 

 

“You try to keep Sesshoumaru from killing Kouga and I'll get Inuyasha!” Shippou exclaimed as he streaked off in a blur of copper fluff.

 

“Right!”

 

As she made her way to the main gate, Rin ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, dodging trees and skidding on grass. Surely, Sesshoumaru would not kill Kouga if she were standing right there!? Inuyasha would get so mad that he would certainly take Shippou and leave. They couldn't let this get out of control!

 

As she rounded the last tree, she skidded on the soft grass and landed right on her butt at the entry way, looking up into amused cerulean blue eyes.

 

“Well, if it isn't my favorite little girl,” Kouga said with a grin.

 

Rin gave her brightest smile. “Hi, Kouga! Are you here to see Lord Inuyasha? Are you going to visit long? Lord Sesshoumaru is all better. Did you come to see him?”

 

Rin ran her mouth a mile a minute, trying to keep Kouga distracted, and hoping that Inuyasha showed up soon and get rid of the interfering wolf. It wasn't that she didn't like Kouga per se, but he could destroy the little family that she and Shippou had been trying so hard to construct and hold together. This just wasn't good at all. As long as she kept talking and smiling, maybe everything would be okay.

 

She could only hope.

 

Thank goodness, Inuyasha was the first to show up, Shippou trailing right behind him. Shippou gave Rin a wary gaze. Both watched intently to see how the greeting would go and weren't sure what to think once things were started.

 

“Oi, dog crap! How's his highness?” Kouga smirked. “He treatin' you good?”

 

Inuyasha gave a small smile. It was good to see his friend, but there was so much potential for disruption and disarray with his relationship with Sesshoumaru. Unfortunately, being that his mate was the jealous type, he wasn't sure that anything good could come from this visit.

 

“What wind blew you here, you wimpy wolf,” Inuyasha huffed in mock distaste.

 

“First, I warned you that I'd be checking up on you. Plus, Sango and Miroku are anxious for you to visit. They are expecting and you know how dangerous birthing can be. They want to see you while things are still good,” Kouga smiled, not sure why Inuyasha didn't seem happier to see him. He had given Inuyasha his word that he wouldn't try to interfere as long as Sesshoumaru wasn't mistreating Inuyasha.

 

“Is everything alright?” he asked with some concern.

 

“Everything's just fine!” Shippou interrupted up with his arms folded over his chest in a perfect imitation of Inuyasha in defiance mode.

 

“Shut up, runt,” Inuyasha grumped before bopping the tiny intruder over the head.

 

Inuyasha sighed and gave Kouga another small smile. “Everything is fine. Come on in and get something to drink. You need a bath too,” Inuyasha smirked as he turned and started walking toward the palace.

 

“Are you implying that I stink!?” Kouga exclaimed in mock disbelief.

 

“Keh! Well, you know. A bath never does really get the stench off of you,” Inuyasha said, glancing over his shoulder.

 

“I resent that, dog breath!” Kouga growled, but smirked, happy that Inuyasha seemed to be doing alright.

 

Rin and Shippou followed close behind, intent on chaperoning the untrustworthy wolf and Inuyasha. There could be no misunderstandings between any of the grownups. They tended to screw things up all the time. And, both children were overcome with a sense of doom as soon as they had spied Kouga.

 

As Inuyasha reached to open the door, it opened for him. He wasn't sure whether to smile or cringe when he saw Sesshoumaru standing there, glaring at Kouga. So, he settled with his familiar gruff routine, but before he could even get started, Rin intervened.

 

Rin knew that she held more sway over Sesshoumaru than anyone, Inuyasha included, when it came to her father.

 

“Look, Lord Sesshoumaru! Kouga came back to see if you're alright! Remember, he helped Lord Inuyasha take care of you when you were so bad sick!?” she said with the most brilliant smile she could ever muster.

 

Immediately, some of the heat in Sesshoumaru's glare seemed to dissipate. At least, he took his hand off of the hilt of Tokijin. Before Sesshoumaru could even ask Kouga what the hell the bastard was doing in his home, Rin had grabbed the wolf's hand and began dragging him past Sesshoumaru. His eyes narrowed as he watched the girl exhibiting such odd behavior. She didn't usually do anything without his permission and she had just taken complete control of the situation. She had been spending much too much time with Inuyasha. Positively. That had to be the reason behind her behavior.

 

“That was weird,” Inuyasha commented.

 

“Indeed,” Sesshoumaru agreed.

 

Though there was suspicion in Sesshoumaru's voice, there was still a small hint of anger, but only a little. Inuyasha relaxed and glanced up to see Sesshoumaru regarding him with unreadable eyes. In the entire three months that he and Inuyasha had been together, Sesshoumaru had never leveled that gaze at him.

 

Great. Just great.

 

Inuyasha took in a deep breath and did the only thing that his frantic mind could muster. He turned full on Sesshoumaru and planted a ferocious kiss on the great lord's lips. Relief flooded him as Sesshoumaru wrapped an arm around him and returned the kiss with just as much fervor.

 

“I love you, Sesshoumaru. Only you. Never forget that,” Inuyasha said, gazing up at Sesshoumaru with such intensity that it took away the breath of the stoic youkai.

 

Sesshoumaru simply nodded.

 

“Say it,” Inuyasha whispered. “Just say it.”

 

A small lilt at the corner of Sesshoumaru's lips and a sparkling in his eye indicated a smile before he responded.

 

“I love you too, brat.”

 

That was much more than Inuyasha had expected. Sesshoumaru seemed to be stuck on that one phrase, so he always used it to his advantage. This was just working too well. He looked up at Sesshoumaru with curious eyes and unexpectedly met with that flat stare.

 

`He still doesn't trust me. What the hell am I supposed to do? Worship at his feet!?'

 

Inuyasha turned away as his eyebrows lowered in a scowl. This was not going as well as he thought it would only moments ago. This was not going to work. He just knew it. But, there was nothing else he could do. Kouga had saved his life and he wasn't about to shove the wolf out on his ass. He just wasn't that kind of person. There was no way that he was going to become someone that he wasn't just to appease a stuck up bastard, even if he did love said bastard, who had a stick up his ass the size of the Tree of Ages, one who held jealousy the size of a volcano, one who was just too fucking insecure.

 

It wasn't Inuyasha's problem and he wasn't going to make it his.

 

`Fuck Sesshoumaru,' he scowled to himself and turned to go.

 

He didn't even bother to notice whether or not Sesshoumaru followed while he sniffed out Kouga's location. Sesshoumaru was someone else's problem right now. He had more important things to do, like plan a trip to see Sango and Miroku. He did miss them and was certain that Shippou did as well. And with a new baby on the way, he had to go see them. Mortals were weak and anything major, including pregnancy, was just asking for trouble. There was no way that he would turn down this request. Besides, he had Kagome's voice ringing in his head. She would have made him go, too. Why? Because it was the right thing to do. They were his friends, his second family, and being humans, they wouldn't live all that long. Not that Sesshoumaru would care, but this wasn't Sesshoumaru's life. It was his.

 

Inuyasha sighed and fondled the gold stud in his ear. `Why am I being so defensive? He won't mind if I go. Will he?'

 

The children's chatter rang loud around the room as Inuyasha entered the kitchen to see Kouga downing a cup of water. They had already served up a bowl of soup. Inuyasha had a sneaking suspicion that they were trying to get Kouga back out the door and on his way as soon as possible. But kids their age weren't that smart, right?

 

Riiiiight.

 

Inuyasha entered, grabbed himself a cup of water and plopped down next to Kouga.

 

“So, how are you doing, Kouga?”

 

“Pretty good actually. Some females have come down from the Northern mountains to help us repopulate the pack. I must say, they are a fertile lot!” Kouga chuckled.

 

“You find yourself one?” Inuyasha asked, poking him in the ribs.

 

“Nah, I'm still waitin' around for you,” Kouga sighed, giving Inuyasha his best imitation of dreamy eyes.

 

It was all a joke of course; at least that's how Inuyasha saw it. However, that was not how it was taken by the Daiyoukai standing in the doorway.

 

“This is my home. State your business then leave my lands…now,” boomed Sesshoumaru's commanding voice.

 

All eyes turned to Sesshoumaru; dread in the children's, arrogance in Kouga's, and anger in Inuyasha's.

 

“I thought that this was my home, too,” Inuyasha said in a low threatening tone, one that questioned Sesshoumaru's devotion to him.

 

Sesshoumaru slowly slid that frigid gaze from Kouga to Inuyasha. The tension in the room couldn't have been cut by Tetsusaiga.

 

“It is,” Sesshoumaru said without any inflection whatsoever then spun around and gracefully exited the room.

 

Inuyasha watched Sesshoumaru leave and was puzzled. Nothing would be happening between him and Kouga. His friend had simply brought important news and it would have been rude not to offer sustenance and perhaps a place to rest for awhile. Anything less would be an insult, not only to Kouga, but to their House in general. Besides, Kouga played a significant role in Sesshoumaru's healing process. Even though Kouga had fucked up pretty bad by not informing Inuyasha that Sesshoumaru was still sick, he had done more than enough to make up for it. He had saved Inuyasha's life, literally, and then helped to save Sesshoumaru's. Sure, Sesshoumaru was jealous, but that was really no excuse for his behavior.

 

With a sigh, Inuyasha shook his head and rejoined the ongoing chatter. He didn't fail to notice the worry in Kouga's eyes before Kouga went back to entertaining the two little ones.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Sesshoumaru strolled down the hall while trying his utmost to contain his anger. `Doesn't Inuyasha understand? Can he be so dense or so completely ignorant?'

 

Well, Inuyasha had grown up with humans. He was more human than youkai. That could be detrimental to sustaining a steady relationship. Humans might be greedy in wanting everything their eyes could see, and arrogant as well, but when faced with greater odds, they would run and leave everything behind. However, youkai had always been very possessive of what they owned, possessive to a fault. Humans did not compare. And that was only one area in which Inuyasha failed, at least toward him. Couldn't the boy show any possessiveness at all? Didn't he care about his newly acquired Daiyoukai?

 

Inuyasha was a half-breed. He could never comprehend the sensitivity of a dog youkai's nose. And smell grabs memories more than any other sense; more than sight, taste, touch, or hearing. Inuyasha's sense of smell did not allow him to be bombarded with all of the memories; so fresh, so real, and so heartbreaking. That day at the spring, the scent of sex, of Kouga and Inuyasha, lingered in a gaping wound in Sesshoumaru's chest. That pain still ran deep and wide. That scent, that horrible, horrible scent that was Kouga, killed Sesshoumaru each time he had to endure it. And Inuyasha hadn't a clue. Another failing of a half-breed.

 

Sesshoumaru sighed. `Will we ever overcome these differences? Is there a solution?'

 

Well, there was a very easy solution when it came to the handicapped half-breeds of the world; kill them. Sesshoumaru had done that and it had been wrong. He loved Inuyasha and he simply didn't have the heart for it. Inuyasha might be a half-breed, but he had many other strengths. He had been able to forgive Sesshoumaru for so many transgressions; not only that, but he actually continued to love Sesshoumaru.

 

Inuyasha.

 

Despite the tragedies of his life, that face was still so beautiful and innocent. Even after everything he had been through growing up, Inuyasha was fresh, and could still be happy and was brave enough to show it. There was no fear of showing emotion, at least not toward Sesshoumaru. For Sesshoumaru, he was the scent of the air after a cleansing spring rain, the green scent of broken leaves. Home. That's what Inuyasha smelled like. Believing that he was the one that put a smile on Inuyasha's face, gave him no small amount of satisfaction. After all of his transgressions against Inuyasha, making the half-breed smile gave Sesshoumaru a sense of pride, and the hope that he was somehow repaying Inuyasha for all those warring years.

 

`What will I do with you, Inuyasha?'

 

Inuyasha was his everything and that damn wolf incited Sesshoumaru's instinct to kill the trespasser. The last three months had been such a release from the prison of his centuries of solitude, and now, Kouga was walling him in, restricting his freedom with Inuyasha, conflicting with those emotions that he had finally felt safe enough to allow to the surface. This new intrusion had to be stopped. He would not be tethered to pain and loneliness. He had protected himself for far too long to have this new life crumble.

 

Without thought, Sesshoumaru had found his way to his personal chambers and seated himself in his bedroom chair. While staring out over the balcony, he attempted to get his emotions under control. He knew that containing them would be nearly impossible until the problem was resolved. But, it was almost impossible to think when his instincts were screaming at him to rip the wolf to shreds. It was an almost audible ringing in his ears, singing through his veins, fisting in his stomach. It took everything he had to restrain himself. He was so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed the sound of little bare feet, padding across the floor in his direction. It wasn't until Rin had sat down on the floor beside of his legs and rested her head against his knee that he became aware of her presence. That reminded him. She had been acting odd.

 

“Rin…”

 

He was astonished when he found his words cut off.

 

“Are you mad at Lord Inuyasha?” the little girl asked, looking up at him with sadness in her big brown eyes.

 

Her question was innocent enough and he was not in the mood to form a meaningless answer. He also wasn't in the mood for small talk.

 

“I don't know, Rin,” he sighed. “Go play with Shippou.”

 

When she made no move to stand, he continued. “…for me.”

 

Rin gave him a small smile, not near as bright as he was accustomed to seeing. However, she obeyed, leaving with much less than her usual enthusiasm.

 

`Does Inuyasha mean so much to her?'

 

What he had never considered was that her devotion to him was always at the forefront of her mind; anything to make him happy. In her heart, her happiness was only secondary. His happiness came first, and Inuyasha made him happy.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Kouga stood up and stretched, taking a deep breath.

 

“Well, you gonna go see Sango?” he asked Inuyasha while admiring the vision before him.

 

It didn't matter that Inuyasha was with Sesshoumaru. Kouga couldn't help but see his friend as irresistible. It was everything he could do to refrain from backing Inuyasha up into a wall and ravishing him from head to toe. Kouga shivered at the mental imagery. He needed to leave before he got himself into trouble.

 

Inuyasha didn't miss the lust in Kouga's eyes. It was plain as day and written all over the wolf's face as though someone had picked up a quill and scribbled all over that bronze skin. It gave Inuyasha a warm feeling in his chest. In a way, he did love Kouga; but not as a lover; only as a friend. Kouga meant a lot to him, but he was not `in love' with his friend. It was too bad. The wolf was handsome. There would be some female, or male, out there that would eventually catch Kouga's eye. Inuyasha just wasn't that person. He was very happy with Sesshoumaru.

 

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Inuyasha finally responded, “Yeah, as soon as possible. Where are you off to now?”

 

Inuyasha wasn't quite sure that he wanted to be traveling with a horny wolf and hoped Kouga would be traveling in a different direction.

 

“I was just coming to check up on you and thought I'd make a loop so that I could bring you news of Sango and Miroku. So, I'll be heading back home. Worried that the big bad wolf is going to eat you?” Kouga said with a grin.

 

“Shut the fuck up,” Inuyasha snorted. “I ain't afraid of nothin'.”

 

“Could've fooled me. Look, I'm outta here. I figure that my two guys are about to catch up. They'll never learn to speed up if I don't keep leaving their asses in the dust.”

 

“I'll walk you out.” Inuyasha smiled as he turned away and headed for the door. Kouga always could be amusing.

 

Outside the gate, Inuyasha stopped. It was nice to see Kouga and it would have been enjoyable if they had time to spend together. But, that would be tempting the wolf and he needed to see Sesshoumaru and smooth things over.

 

Kouga rocked back and forth on his feet—devious little whispers floating through his head—and truly wishing to stay. “Well, mutt…are you happy here? I mean, he's not mistreating you, is he?”

 

Inuyasha shook his head. “I've never been happier, Kouga. It's really going great.”

 

“What was that in there then?” Kouga asked, jabbing his thumb back toward the palace.

 

“You should know that he's jealous,” Inuyasha said with a smirk and cocked his brow.

 

Kouga chuckled. “He should be. I'm the `stiffest' competition he'll ever have.” Without waiting for a response, Kouga stepped forward and grabbed Inuyasha into a strong embrace just before planting a big sloppy kiss on Inuyasha's lips.

 

“Haha! See ya later, flea bag!” Kouga laughed.

 

With that, Kouga disappeared in a whirlwind. Inuyasha just shook his head while smiling at the antics of his friend. Now, if Kouga had tried for more, Inuyasha would have had to knock the shit out of him. As it was, he just found it amusing.

 

Inuyasha turned and ran right into a sneaky little kitsune. “Oi, runt! What are you doin' here?”

 

“Do we get to go see Sango, Miroku, and Kilala!?” Shippou asked, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.

 

“Yeah. I'm feeling kinda cooped up anyway,” Inuyasha replied and patted Shippou on the head.

 

Too accustomed to making his own decisions, it never occurred to the stupid half-breed that in a partnership, decisions were made together. Sometimes, he just wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and sometimes, there weren't any tools at all.

 

“I'm gonna go pack my stuff!” Shippou exclaimed as he ran ahead of Inuyasha.

 

`I hope that Sesshoumaru has cooled off,' Inuyasha worried.

 

The closer he came to Sesshoumaru's chambers, actually his now also, his trepidation increased. He could only hope that Sesshoumaru would be reasonable. What he didn't realize was that Kouga's scent lay heavily on him, and scent would be howling over his words.

 

Not good. Not good at all.

 

As soon as he opened the door, he heard a snarl. Sesshoumaru was facing him from across the room, eyes red and nostrils flared. Maybe, right now, a visit to his friends wouldn't be such a bad thing.

 

“Um…Sesshoumaru?” Inuyasha started off quietly, hoping not to enrage the youkai further. “Me and Shippou are gonna go and visit Sango and Miroku.”

 

“Do not return,” Sesshoumaru snarled as the scent of wolf permeated his nostrils.

 

“What the fuck!?” Inuyasha exclaimed as he marched into the room. “What is wrong with you!?”

 

Sesshoumaru's hair began to whirl around him in a fury that was all his own. Curling back his lips, he bared his teeth at Inuyasha and growled.

 

“Get…away…from me,” Sesshoumaru growled in a hiss, teeth clenched and his voice so low that it sounded like he was gargling pebbles. His knuckles cracked while the stripes on his face darkened.

 

“Well, you know what? Fuck you. Just fuck you, Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha yelled before rushing out of the room, confused beyond belief, but most of all, angry and hurt.

 

Once in the hallway, Inuyasha took a few deep breaths. `What the hell just happened? What…'

 

Inuyasha shook his head to clear out all of the confusing questions. `This is bullshit. Time to get out of here. I need to be anywhere but here. Damn! Bastard!'

 

Oh, he could have a very satisfying knock down drag out with Sesshoumaru, but it wouldn't solve anything. In fact, it could only get worse. That was a very valuable lesson that he had learned with the many `sit' commands plummeting his face into the dirt. When Kagome was angry, there was no talking any sense into her. And Sesshoumaru was in just that frame of mind. And, who was Sesshoumaru to tell him what he could and couldn't do? He would have to teach Sesshoumaru where the line was drawn. If Sesshoumaru wanted it the hard way, he would get it.

 

Rin's heart was breaking as she peeked around the corner. She had heard it all. This wasn't something that she and Shippou could fix. Everything was ruined and she just couldn't understand why. There was no question about it. Grown ups were just plain stupid. Kouga didn't do anything wrong, as far as she knew. So, in her mind, it was all Sesshoumaru's fault. She had lost the family that she had received a taste of, only to have it ripped away. For the first time, Sesshoumaru wasn't perfect and that upset her more than anything.

 

Sesshoumaru strode out onto the balcony, attempting to get his rage under control. He had to get away from that scent. Taking flight, he streaked across the tree tops, cleansing himself as the wind dulled the edges of his anger. He didn't stop, didn't even consider going back, until he had plunged into a cold river in order to erase the scent of Kouga from his nostrils, shedding his displeasure in the process. It had been nearly choking him. After dragging himself to the grass, he tossed his armor and clothing to ground and flopped back on the grass, wiping his mind clean.

 

“Inuyasha…” he whispered, not knowing what to think or what to do. So, he lay there, gazing at the sky.

 

Thoughts fled and all he could see was that face, so young in sleep, almost a child, so open and passionate when they made love, so amusing when being sarcastic, so…affectionate. Sesshoumaru's heart ached, but what was he supposed to do? That wolf, that damned wolf! Claws raked furrows into the ground and Sesshoumaru had to take a deep breath to soothe his youki. This would not do, not at all. He was the Lord of the Western Lands. Lack of control over his own mind was completely and utterly unacceptable, Inuyasha not withstanding.

 

 

~*~

 

 

The quill in Inuyasha's hand slowly and accurately formed the words. He would leave the note outside of the bedroom door. Hopefully, Sesshoumaru had not meant the words spoken in the heat of anger. Regardless, it was Sesshoumaru's anger, not his. And he wouldn't be ruled by it. He wasn't about to take the path that he had slid down before, and he certainly wasn't going to become a parroting puppet. No, this time, he would keep his shit together. He looked forward to being in the forest again, outside of the confining walls of any dwelling. The forest was where he belonged anyway. It would be refreshing.

 

After dropping the note outside of the bedroom, Inuyasha sought out Shippou, whom he found outside, whispering with Rin.

 

“Hey, runt! Hurry up or you'll be left behind,” Inuyasha groused.

 

Shippou immediately jumped up onto Inuyasha's shoulder, knowing that Inuyasha was not going to be traveling slowly enough for his small legs to keep up.

 

“How long do you think it'll take to get there, Inuyasha?” Shippou asked just to ease the atmosphere.

 

“Don't even get started on that. We just left,” Inuyasha scowled.

 

“Fine,” Shippou huffed and crossed his arms.

 

Soon they were sailing over the tops of trees, Inuyasha occasionally pushing off of the upper branches in order to keep them aloft. It was exhilarating. Inuyasha hadn't been on a journey in quite some time and couldn't remember when he had last felt so confined. Not that he minded his time with Sesshoumaru, but there were other parts of his being that needed to be satisfied. This was one of them.

 

Come sundown, he and Shippou had a nice little fire going and a couple of rabbits roasting.

 

“Um, Inuyasha?” Shippou asked with some hesitation. This was not going to be pleasant.

 

“Yeah, runt?” Inuyasha didn't bother looking up from the fire, seeming to be in deep thought.

 

“Um, when will we be going back to Rin and Sesshoumaru?” Shippou asked hesitantly. He didn't want to rile Inuyasha, but he and Rin were exceptionally worried that their little family had come to an end.

 

Inuyasha's eyes snapped up then narrowed. So much for relaxing and letting his brain take a holiday. “We haven't even gotten to Sango and Miroku's yet and you're already asking that!?”

 

“Yes! You don't plan on going back do you!?” Shippou wailed.

 

“Shut. Up.”

 

“No!”

 

Wrong thing to say. Inuyasha stretched his arm out and bopped Shippou on the head. Rather than cry, as he had when Kagome had been with them, Shippou simply glared at Inuyasha. The dog was not going to answer his question. A thought occurred to Shippou. Maybe Inuyasha didn't know. That was definitely better than a flat refusal to go back. A slim chance, but not impossible, that his hopes weren't for nothing.

 

While Shippou had his own hopes, so did Inuyasha. He didn't want to think about never waking up to the warmth of Sesshoumaru's powerful body, didn't want to think about never having those soft, satin lips teasing his, and certainly didn't want to think about that large hand exploring his flesh. Inuyasha could feel his skin flushing from the memories. This time, Sesshoumaru would have to come to him, Inuyasha resolved.

 

`He broke my heart last time. Let's just see how much I break his,' the stubborn half-breed thought with a barely there smile. `He is going to come down off that high horse of his. I won't be some simpering idiot that does whatever he wants. Asshole…'

 

 

~*~

 

 

Sesshoumaru once again sat at his bedroom window. Scent told him when it had been Inuyasha standing outside of his door some time ago, but he had made no move to go to his mate.

 

In the hours that he had sat in contemplation, he had realized the most important fact. He could not, and would not, live without Inuyasha. Somehow, they would work this out. It was his fault that Inuyasha hadn't understood his rage. Inuyasha couldn't have known that he was aware of what had transpired with Kouga; that memory that shot through his chest like a knife. The wolf was full-blooded and should have known that his scent would be left all over Inuyasha. The question was, had the wolf intentionally sought to create a problem? Now that it had occurred to him, he decided that it was a distinct possibility. What was the wolf planning?

 

Inuyasha's last presence outside his door had been hours ago. Now, there was a new scent outside his door, Rin. She lingered for a couple of minutes. Before she knocked, he had smelled the scent of her tears; otherwise he would not have allowed her entry.

 

“Enter.”

 

A parchment was clutched to her chest as she made her way to him.

 

“It's all your fault,” she whispered. “Inuyasha is gone and so is Shippou. I thought…I thought that you…that you were perfect. But Shippou is gone. We don't have a…a family anymore,” she choked out.

 

“Rin?” Sesshoumaru asked in shocked surprise. What had come over the girl? In her eyes, he could do no wrong. What had happened to his innocent child? Could Inuyasha and the kit mean so much to her?

 

“It's all your fault.” This time there was a tinge of anger in her voice.

 

`Of course, she lost one family and now she believes that she is losing another. How could I have been so blind? It is no longer two adults involved, but two children as well. Her brother, her family, had been killed before her very eyes, and now she is losing another. I could kill any threat to her, but now, I have taken away the only family she knows. I am her nightmare.'

 

Sesshoumaru studied her as she held out the parchment.

 

 

Sesshoumaru,

 

I love you.

 

Inuyasha

 

 

Short, simple and to the point.

 

Sesshoumaru could hear Inuyasha's voice in the line that was intentionally absent.

 

“Just say it.”

 

“Rin,” Sesshoumaru said softly as he tilted up her chin with his index finger. “I will bring them back. Do you trust me?”

 

Rin sniffled before nodding. Sesshoumaru rose from his seat.

 

“Jakken,” his baritone voice boomed.

 

Not five seconds later, his devoted retainer appeared at his feet.

 

“Take care of Rin,” he commanded.

 

“But, but…” Jakken began to stutter.

 

“If one hair on her head is harmed while I am absent, be certain that you will die a slow and painful death.”

 

“Yes, milord!” Jakken squawked as he groveled on the floor.

 

“Rin, behave yourself,” Sesshoumaru softly instructed the girl.

 

She was standing with her hands clasped in front of her, a cautious smile beginning to play across her cherub features. Sesshoumaru barely restrained a smile as he strolled out of the room. Jakken could be quite amusing and, well, Rin's happiness was now just as important as keeping her from harm. He would be her hero again. That thought nearly made him stumble, but he couldn't deny the truth of it. He had been Rin's hero for so long that he'd taken her for granted. He needed to earn her trust again.

 

He had to find Inuyasha and set this right.

 

 

~*~

 

 

A couple of miles away from Inuyasha, Kouga stood atop a hill, watching his friend's progress.

 

“Hell if I'm going to leave my mutt to that bastard of a dog. Inuyasha just doesn't get it. Sesshoumaru is too old to change his ways. He will just break Inuyasha's heart again. I WILL not let that happen. Stupid puppy.”

 

Kouga took off at a moderate pace, keeping ahead some distance in order to prevent alerting Inuyasha. Inuyasha would get suspicious were he to show up too soon. Dusk came quickly and Kouga would soon have his opportunity. The two travelers would make camp and Kouga could stroll right up to them without there being any suspicions whatsoever.

 

“This is going to be way too easy,” Kouga congratulated himself.

 

The pat on the back unexpectedly turned into a mighty shove and Kouga went flying forward, tumbling and rolling until he came to lie on his back while attempting to catch his breath.

 

A shadow approached; a very, very long shadow.

 

“This ends now.”

 

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Thank you to everyone who has read, rated, and/or reviewed previous chapters. It is a great encouragement.

 

 

~*~

 

Disclaimer

 

Inuyasha and all associated characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not own Inuyasha and make no profit from this story, nor do I intend to. My only goal is to occupy my demented mind with delusions of actually owning a life-sized, anatomically correct Sesshoumaru android to use and abuse at will.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~