I own nothing.
It was early in the third morning (since Sesshomaru had been cursed) that he, Inuyasha and Ikuto ventured outside to hunt for some food for dinner.
The air was crisp and quiet except for the few birds that decided to rise with the dawn. The sky was dull, surrounding the area with a hazy pink and blue glow.
They were in Inuyasha's forest, searching for a specific beast. A boar, to be precise. Inuyasha and Ikuto both loved the animal. Sesshomaru would have preferred a cheetah- because of the challenge of catching such a quick and agile animal.
He gave into the hunt of the pig-thing with a sigh. It didn't really matter. He just needed some time to fight and hone his battle skills for the future.
Catching animals was the first step. Next up- demons!
He stood beside Inuyasha who held his sword against his thigh. It was a very large sword; quite an admirable piece of weaponry. Sesshomaru hadn't yet received a sword from father. He supposed he would get one, like Inuyasha's, when he came of age.
As for now, he used one of Kagomes' children's bow and arrows. The satchel for the arrows was wrapped around his back, while he clutched the bow tightly in his grip.
Ikuto stood beside him, leaning against a tree, with no weaponry. He'd said he didn't need any tools for The Hunt. Sesshomaru believed him. There was something different about Ikuto. Something otherworldly. He wasn't like any demon he'd ever seen.
There were no demons with eyes that swirled like a tornado. Or flashed like lightning.
All of a sudden something near them cracked. Inuyasha, Ikuto and Sesshomaru froze.
That's when they noticed an exceptionally large brown boar, grazing in the grass before them. Sesshomaru's heart began to beat faster as adrenaline pumped through his veins. He looked at Inuyasha, nodded. Inuyasha looked at him, nodded and turned to Ikuto. The boy nodded, grunted and stared at the animal.
Sesshomaru silently whispered to them, "We shall strike it from behind."
Inuyasha agreed with this, but Ikuto obviously did not when he shook his head. "I don't think so," he whispered back. "We should take him down from the front or its sides. If we take him from the rear, he might kick us."
Inuyasha's lips curled. The kid was right.
Sesshomaru glared at Ikuto. The gold in them cackled with annoyance. "Silence, you fool. I've been doing dis for months. We must take it from behind."
"Why?"
"Because if we cut off his legs, which are part of his behind, if you didn't know that, then he won't kick us at all. Now let's go."
"But-"
"Silence," Sesshomaru snapped. "He who talks next, dies."
Inuyasha clamped his mouth shut as he tried to contain another round of laughter. He had no idea Sesshomaru could be so funny. The day before Sesshomaru and Ikuto had been extremely hyper about the next days hunt. They could hardly wait for it. Sesshomaru believed it would be a day for him to show off his prodigious abilities in the hunting department- to Rin, mostly.
He had been surprisingly enthusiastic and verbal, telling Rin how he wanted to "destroy da humungous pig" with his bare claws, as he raised his hands to his face and sharpened his fingers.
Rin had told him that she didn't want him to dirty his hands; begged him gently to use a sword or bow and arrow. He begrudgingly accepted Tamaki's bow with a sniff, to appease his "bestest friend in the whole lide world."
Inuyasha still could not get over the shock of how...normal Sesshomaru was. He had truly believed that Sesshomaru had always been a cold hearted bastard. Now...he was so far from believing such a statement he felt half inclined to apologize to his half brother for being so judgmental.
He just hoped Sesshomaru would learn something new from this little experience and warm up to everyone. Including him.
Sesshomaru gave the boar a thoughtful look, tilting his head to the side. "Maybe," he said, "I should just shoot at it."
"No!" Ikuto and Inuyasha snapped simultaneously. "That's not fair," Ikuto continued. "I want a shot at it, too."
"Who said we need to get just one boar?" Sesshomaru succinctly replied.
"I can't house any more than one in my house," Inuyasha said.
"Yes, so shutup, Sesshomaru. And put down your bow. We don't need it."
Sesshomaru was going to kill Ikuto, he was sure of it. "How about this, stupid? Let's use our weapons to catch our prey. I'll get sonthing from the sky with my bow and arrow. You can get sonthing else with your ugly hands."
Ikuto looked intrigued. His short green hair, set up in a pony-tail, moved against his face as the slight summer breeze blew against it. He arched a brow. "What should I get then, milord?"
"I don't care," Sesshomaru muttered. "Whatever it is you desire. We can have a feast tonight. I shall attain a bird. You may get...sonthing else, and Inuyasha can deal with the boar."
Inuyasha was fine with that. The boar would be quick and easy to kill, which would give him enough time to see the two brats find their kill and destroy them.
He nodded at Sesshomaru. "Yo, bro, how about we make this into a contest? Let me kill the boar first and then I'll judge you both to see who wins."
"How does the game go?" Ikuto chimed in, stepping forward.
"Whoever finds and kills something first, gets a prize."
"What kind of prize?" Sesshomaru asked, feeling a swell of anticipation build in his gut.
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know. Think of something."
"I want the boar's right leg!" Ikuto whispered loudly.
Sesshomaru gave Ikuto a disgusted look. They were about to play a game where one would win something, and out of all the things to ask for he wanted a pigs leg. The demon was an idiot, Sesshomaru was sure of it.
He snorted. "Well, unlike you, I want something more useful. How about a dagger, Inuyasha?" he suggested. "Or my own bow and arrow?"
Considering the fact that Inuyasha and Kagome had more bows, arrows, swords and daggers than they could count, he found Sesshomaru's request to be quite reasonable.
"Alright, Sessh. You can win a dagger if you beat Ikuto."
Sesshomaru's eyes alighted with joy. Then a competitive gleam covered the light and his eyes narrowed. "I shall win this game."
"No you won't," Ikuto said. "I will."
Sesshomaru gave no reply to this statement. He chose to ignore Ikuto and focused on the prize. He would use the dagger (or bow and arrow) to protect himself and Rin. Since they were going to be together forever he would need it to keep her safe from harm until he could earn his own sword from father.
He turned to Inuyasha. "Brudder, go and get the boar alledy. I want to start this."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and turned away from the two arrogant demons. He stared at the boar and watched it as it chewed some grass. It snorted once. Then twice. This would be an easy kill.
Inuyasha chose not to use his sword and instead ran to the beast. He didn't cry out; he said not a word as he leapt over the animal, gently landed on his feet, and stood before it.
The boar quickly looked up at Inuyasha and it's nostrils flared as if it knew it was going to die. For pity's sake, Inuyasha took the boar down swiftly. He raised his arms high over his head, unsheathed his sharp white claws, then swooped down, quickly cutting the boars head off.
Inuyasha wiped his hands and grunted. The blood smeared his finger tips. "I'm done, you guy-" He looked up. The boys weren't even looking at him.
He scowled.
^^^^^^^^
Sesshomaru turned to Ikuto. The green haired demon was already looking around the area, searching for something to kill.
"Ikuto," Sesshomaru said, "my brudder has killed the boar. We may begin now."
Ikuto gave no reply. He nodded instead, then ran off. Sesshomaru immediately snatched an arrow from behind his back and placed it on the string of his bow. He lifted the thing high into the air and looked up at the sky. He waited and he waited for an animal to fly by.
He saw a small red bird fly nearby, but he wanted something better than that. He wanted a demon bird. Or a demon bat! Yes, those were definitely delicious. Perfect for dinner. Rin would love it.
The timing was just right, too. The sun was just beginning to rise and that's when most demon bats were returning to their caves.
He focused his vision on the sky. Golden orbs stared at the heavens until they watered. Sesshomaru wiped his eyes with his sleeves and blinked.
He slowly turned to the left- found nothing. He slowly came to the center of the sky- nothing again but clouds and white specks, darting from one section of the heavens to the next.
Then he slowly turned to his right and found a small family of red demon bats fluttering in the sky.
"There," he muttered with a devilish smile. He waited until the family came closer to each other, then shot one arrow at the biggest bat in the front of the group. The creature immediately fell down after it was shot, and crashed onto the earth.
Sesshomaru wasn't done. He quickly reached behind his back and picked up two arrows. Considering the fact that he was an exceptional marksmen-thanks to intense practices with Father and his Senseis-it was quite easy for him to shoot two arrows at two different animals at one time.
He aimed them at the sky and fired, instantly catching two more bats.
He lowered his bow and puffed up his chest. "Ha-ha!" he exclaimed with triumph.
He knew he won. How could he not have? He'd caught three bats. Three! And considering the fact that demon bats were about two feet in length, they were great kills, in his opinion.
He bent both his knees, then jumped into the air. He hopped across the ground, skimming over trees and broken branches, until he found the demons a few feet off. Once there, he pulled out the arrows and wiped them against his black kimono. Then he grabbed the dead creatures by their wings and carried them back to where Inuyasha waited for him.
His brother nodded at him. "Nice."
Sesshomaru raised his chin and humphed. "Did you expect anything less from me?"
Inuyasha sucked his teeth. "Put the damn things on the pile."
Sesshomaru threw the bats on top of the boar sitting beside Inuyasha.
"Where's Ikuto?" Sesshomaru asked.
Inuyasha shrugged. "Don't know. He should be coming soon. I can smell the demon from here-"
"I'm back!"
Sesshomaru whirled around. Ikuto approached him with a smug look plastered on his face. And on his hands was a cheetah demon.
Sesshomaru growled.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ikuto just loved the look on the demon's face. He couldn't help but smile evilly at him. He'd killed a great prize. Many demons knew it was hard to catch a Cheetah demon. Ikuto had found one a few meters off from where he stood.
It was almost too easy to kill the creature. It always was for Ikuto. He was a true pure blooded demon, after all. Not like the dog, Sesshomaru.
He turned to Inuyasha and gave him a triumphant look. "I think I won this game," he said smugly. "Give me my leg."
"Actually," Inuyasha began, "you both won the game."
"What?" Ikuto and Sesshomaru cried.
Inuyasha nodded. "Sesshomaru caught three demon bats. Big ones too. And you, Ikuto, caught one cheetah demon. You didn't let me watch you guys kill the creatures, so I wasn't able to determine who caught what first. So I'm guessing that you both caught them at the same time."
"That- that's not fair!" Ikuto bellowed.
Sesshomaru nodded. "Iz not. He's right."
"Well, I wouldn't know who won anyway, right? You guys didn't let me find out for myself."
They both humphed and crossed their arms over their chests. They looked like normal little kids, instead of professional killers. That was more like it!
"I won," Sesshomaru muttered.
Ikuto heard that and he snorted. "Like hell. I won, dog."
Sesshomaru glared at him. "You insult me, Ikuto. First you call me annoying, then you call me a dog. I should cut you."
"You can try."
Sesshomaru stepped forward. A red glow surrounded him and his eyes flashed crimson. "Oh, I shall."
But Inuyasha quickly jumped in between the two little runts and stopped them from coming to blows with each other. "Give it a rest, you two."
"There has been a great injustice, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said from behind him. "I should gain the prize. Not share in my glory with him!"
"For once I agree with you, dog," Ikuto condescendingly replied.
Inuyasha didn't know what possessed him to defend his brother, but, before he knew it, he said, "Hey, Ikuto, I don't appreciate you calling him that. He's my half brother. And I'm just like him."
Ikuto bowed his head. "Forgive me, Inuyasha. I did not wish to offend you." He looked at Sesshomaru with stormy grey eyes. "It is only that he annoys me."
"Ignore him, then."
Ikuto nodded. "I shall endeavor to try."
Inuyasha shook his head and turned to Sesshomaru. He was about to tell Sesshomaru to be nicer to Ikuto, but was cut off by the strange look that was in Sesshomaru's eyes. Inuyasha blushed in his gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he muttered sheepishly.
Sesshomaru smiled. "You defended me, thaz why."
Inuyasha rubbed his neck. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. It was nothing."
"No, iz not nothing. It means a lot to me."
Inuyasha stared at Sesshomaru. His brother actually cared about that kind of stuff? "Really?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Oh. I... Uh..." He scratched his ear. "Okay."
Inuyasha bowed his head and grabbed a hold of the boar's tusk. He then heaved it over his shoulders and muttered softly, "Come on, guys. Let's go home."
The boys followed behind him with their kill, in muted silence.
It was a peaceful silence. One in which Inuyasha was truly thankful for.
Unfortunately, the boys could not stay shut for long, as Inuyasha heard Ikuto mutter, "Just so you know, Sesshomaru, I hate you."
Inuyasha groaned but continued onward.
Sesshomaru shrugged. "I don't care. You mean nothing to me. Rin likes me. She's all I need, forever."
Ikuto snorted. "You're obsessed with her."
Sesshomaru stopped walking and stomped the ground with his bare feet, breaking down grass and probably a few ants. "I'n not!"
"You are too."
"No-"
"Shut up," Inuyasha snapped from in front of them. "We got the food. Let's head back. In silence."
"Allight," Sesshomaru grunted. He hefted the bats over his shoulders. "Lez go! I want to show Rin the bats."
"Obsessed," Ikuto sang.
"I swear I'm going to kill you, Ikuto."
Ikuto barked out a laugh. "Ha! I'd like to see you try!"
Sesshomaru stared at Inuyasha's back. "Brudder, hand me your sword."
Inuyasha stopped walking and slowly turned around. "Uh... No. It doesn't work for full blooded demons, Sessh."
"Why not?" Sesshomaru demanded. "That is one of father's fangs, isn't it? I should be able to touch it!"
"Sorry, Sessh. You can't."
Sesshomaru crossed his arms over his chest and humphed. "Thaz not fair."
"Life's not fair."
"Shutup."
"Don't tell me to shut up," Inuyasha growled. "I'm your elder; respect me."
Sesshomaru immediately bowed his head. "I'n sorry."
"It's alright." Inuyasha ground out. "Don't apologize to me. I don't need it." And he didn't like it coming from Sesshomaru. It didn't seem right.
"Allight."
"Now can we get back home in silence? We can show off our kills to our women and have them fawn over is. Wouldn't you like that?"
Ikuto stared at Inuyasha and Sesshomaru bit his lip, then leaned in to Ikuto and whispered, "Can you tell me what fawn means?"
Ikuto turned to Sesshomaru. "A fawn is a young deer. I don't know why your brother wants his wife to "young deer" over him. It's weird."
"It's mad."
Ikuto's lips twitched. "You're right, Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru stood straight and huffed. "Of course I am."
^^^^^^^^
After a surprisingly delicious dinner with her family and acquaintances, Rin decided to head outside to sit atop the village hill, and stare at the stars.
She wanted to go there and think about a few things like: Sesshomaru, Ikuto, her family, friends, and Sesshomaru. There was much to ponder on. Truly, there was.
Sesshomaru, in his youth, was a much livelier creature than he was as an adult. He spoke a lot more and gave his opinion freely. Why, when Ikuto commented about Sesshomaru's height during dinner, the youkai lord had simply glared at Ikuto and proclaimed rather loudly, "I am going to kill you."
Rin's family was naturally strange, so no one was insulted by the statement made in the dinner table. In fact, everyone, including Ikuto, laughed. Well, Inuyasha actually choked, then he laughed. He seemed to be having a ball. Everything Sesshomaru did was humorous to him.
Sesshomaru, as usual, was not amused. He didn't laugh. But then, he never did.
With a chuckle, Rin flopped herself on the grass and rested on her elbows. She stared beyond the cliff, quietly taking in her surroundings; breathing in the fresh scent of the night air.
The sky was clear of any clouds. The moon lit up the sky with its white blanket rays. And the stars added a magical air to the place, with it's white speckled dots, appearing like shards of glass across the sky.
It felt good to be outside. Since she'd been married to Sesshomaru that's where they always were. He loved to travel; she loved to be with him. Both were happy because of this.
Thinking about it brought a sad little smile to Rin's face. It had only been three days since Sessshomaru had been changed into a child, but that didn't stop her from missing him. She was his wife; she loved him. Needed him like the very air she breathed. And she found herself wanting his touch like never before.
He awoke these feelings inside her, after all, and nothing could change this fact. Nothing. Not even the fact that he was a child right now, and not the man she married.
She heard something snap behind her. A feint little crack. Slowly she sat up, turned around and found Sesshomaru hesitantly approaching her with his eyes on the ground. He was wearing a black kimono that contrasted well with his hair, causing it to look almost silver.
He must've heard her smile because he looked up, and stood straight when their eyes met. He bit his lip. "Hello," he muttered embarrassed that he'd been caught.
Rin bit her lip too. "Hello, Sesshomaru. What's wrong?"
"I..." He cleared his throat and took another step forward. "I came to see if you were allight. You left right after dinner... I's worried."
Rin stared at him. Her hand, placed flatly on the grass, clenched into a light fist. In his adult form had Sesshomaru ever worried about her? Did he ever think about her when she wasn't around? Did she mean to him as much as he meant to her?
This time, Rin forced out a smile. "I'm fine, my love."
"Really?" he said as soft as the wind. "Are you sure, cause I was looking at you before, observing you, and you seemed... I don't know. You looked like you were thinking reeeeeally hard." He tilted his head to the side. "Or was it just that you had to do peepee?"
Rin's eyes bulged out. "W-what?" she choked out.
"Sorry," he mumbled. "I know I shouldn't talk about that. But if you gotta urinate, then you can do it. Cause... Cause..." He scratched his little elfin ear. "This is weird."
Rin chuckled with a nod. "Definitely."
He smiled and Rin stared at his lips. As soon as she did this, blood filled her cheeks and warmed them to the touch. She'd kissed those lips before. Three days ago, in fact. And she knew the texture and the feel of them. How they were so very soft and warm. She knew the taste of them; masculinity dripped from his lips, but a great amount of tenderness tickled his tongue whenever he made love to her with it.
Ah yes, she remembered vividly how she once-
She was disgusting.
Rin quickly shook her head and slapped her cheeks.
Sesshomaru stared at her with nothing in his gaze, surprisingly. That didn't sit well with Rin. Nothing did, apparently. "Is something the matter, Sesshomaru?" she croaked.
"You slapped yourself," he said slowly. "Thaz not normal."
"Sorry." She was practically tanned, her blush was so bright. "I was thinking about something wildly inappropriate."
Sesshomaru's eyes widened with intrigue. "What?"
She shook her head. "No, I can't-"
"Tell me!"
She narrowed her eyes at her demanding husband. He was six; he had no right to order her to do anything. Still, It would be wise of her not to get on his nerves.
Her lips twitched. This was such an awkward experience.
"Sesshomaru, the polite term is please."
His brow furrowed. "I shouldn't have to ask my bestest friend to tell me what she's thinking. We're s'posed to tell each other everything."
"You really believe this?"
"A course!" He ambled toward her until he stood before her. He was barefoot and had little splotches of dirt on his feet. She needed to get him some shoes. She'd ask Kagome for a pair.
"You really believe we should tell each other everything?"
"Yes. But only you and me. No one else. Cause...cause we're friends and thaz what friends do, right? I dont really know the answer cause I never had a friend afore, but you know, so tell me!" he urgently replied.
"You're right."
"Good." He nodded. "So, tell me!"
"Alright...well, how about we get to know each other better? You'll tell me about yourself and I'll tell you about me."
He nodded quickly then dropped himself on the ground beside her, and crossed his legs together. "Allight. Fine. Ask away."
Rin watched her husband as he waited for her to ask him a question. He looked interested in what she was going to say or ask. As if he truly cared about such trivial things. But were they really trivial? Wasn't it only right that Sesshomaru get to know his wife a little better? Wasn't it right that she get to know him?
Yes, it was. So she began her questioning with the first thing that came to her mind: "Who are you? Really, I mean. Who is Sesshomaru?"
His brow furrowed for about a few seconds. And then he said, "I am the heir to a throne. When my parents die I will rule and watch over the Western lands. I will guard them. I will protect them. They will be mine. And all of its inhabitants will be mine..." He paused to place a loose strand of his hair behind his ear. "I'n gonna be rich and powerful. But that's only after my parents die. Until then, I want to be the best InuYoukai in da world."
"Why?"
"Because father said it's what I must strive to be," he replied.
"That doesn't mean it's what you want," she told him quietly. "Can you tell me what you want, Sesshomaru?" Maybe it was a deep question; too hard for a mere child to know the answer to, but she still wanted to know what he wanted now. At that age. Because it would help her understand the demon he became.
"Tell me what you really want. Is it the lands? The power?"
"Not really," he muttered. "Father told me all about these things and they bore me. But still, iz my responsibility and I must do what I must."
"So that's it? You're just going to let what your parents tell you dictate how you wish to live for the rest of your life?"
"No. They can tell me all these things, and I can listen to them, but that doesn't mean I'll uphold their ideals. I can choose my own path. That's what father told me. I may do as I please but I must unnerstand that everything I do has a consekense." Sesshomaru's lips twisted softly. "He told me all dat two years ago and I still don't know what consekense means."
"It just means that with everything you do there is an outcome to it. Do you understand?"
Sesshomaru nodded once. "A little. Kind of. I think I need to grow up a little more to unnerstand you. I'n only thirty-seven- still a child. But I'n gonna- what's wrong, Rin?"
Rin was suffering from a coughing fit, that was what was wrong. Thirty-seven? she thought. Sesshomaru was thirty-seven and he looked like that. Madness! The aging process for demons truly was slow. Turtle-paced slow!
"You're thirty seven?" she rasped.
Sesshomaru's eyes sparkled in his gaze. Humor swam in it. "You're a human, Rin. I'n a demon. We age different. I'n older than you but I'n still very young to my race."
"Wow." Rin shook her head in awe. "I'm shocked. I mean, I knew the aging process for demons was slow but I didn't think it was thatslow. Most humans would be dead by your age!"
"Yes."
Rin chuckled. It was a warm sound that tickled Sesshomaru's toes. He found that he liked that sound. It was unique and all Rin's. The perfect noise.
"There is one thing I want more than anything in da world," he told her.
She immediately sobered and stared at him with serious eyes, filled with curiosity. "What is it?"
He lowered his eyes to the ground. His eyes lashes fanned his cheeks creating a spiky grey shadow against his pale smooth skin. "I..." He swallowed thickly. "I don't ever want to be alone. Not ever again. I don't like it. I've been alone for too long and I hate it. That's what I want."
"Why were you alone, Sesshomaru? What happened to your parents? Where are they?" She knew his father was alive at his age. Where was he?
"I'n a demon. Things are different with is. When an InuYoukai reaches a certain age, he has to fend for hisself for the rest of his life."
Rin felt something wrap around her throat, causing her mouth to go dry. "R-really?"
"Yes. I don't like it. But," he shrugged, "it has to be done. But, Rin, I don't... I really don't like it."
And that was how Rin realized everything. From that statement alone, Rin understood why Sesshomaru was the way he was. He was alone for most of his life, living for himself and the future. He had no time for other people; no time to gain friendships and alliances. He was focused on staying alive; so focused on becoming what everyone expected him to be, that he never had a chance to be what he may have wanted to be.
What that was, Rin didn't know. But she did know that Sesshomaru was the way he was because of tradition, his family and how he was raised. He was alone all of his life, desiring someone to spend it with, but not knowing how to go along with the task of earning a friend.
Rin felt her eyes suddenly water with tears. She reached out to him and grabbed his tiny white hand. Their palms met, and she squeezed him softly, warming him with her touch in the only way she knew how. "You won't ever be alone again," she whispered brokenly but adamantly.
His eyes melted into a pool of gold. He stared at their hands, almost in a state of shock. "H-how do you know that?" he whispered. "How can you say this? Something can happen. You can get hurt. You can hate me. Sonthing could happen that would take you away from me."
Rin shook her head vehemently. "No. No. I'll never leave you. I promise."
Finally he looked up at her and Rin's breath hitched when she saw the moisture building in his eyes. Inuyasha had said that he shouldn't cry but who was she to tell him to stop?
"Really?" he said.
She gave him a wobbly smile. "Yes. As long as you want me, of course."
His mouth immediately dropped. "You're thick headed, aren't you? Didn't I say I want to stay with you forever?"
She nodded.
"Then why say that? I don't get it!"
"I'm sorry. Forget about it."
He nodded as if to say, I will. "Good. Now," he inched toward her, "give me another hug."
Rin narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"
He lifted his nose in the air. "Cause I said so. Thaz why."
"Sesshomaru..."
He smiled. "Please, Rin?"
She couldn't say no to him. Not when he looked at her with those big, bright eyes. She capitulated. "Oh, alright. Fine."
She opened her arms to him and he jumped into them as if he knew that was where he was meant to be. His short arms tried to wrap around Rin's stomach, but that was clearly a futile effort because of its length. He settled for being half way there and buried himself into her.
He felt the rumble of Rin's chuckle and rubbed his head against her again.
Rin threw her head back and laughed out loud. "Sessh, stop that!"
"Uh-Uh," he mumbled. "No. Don't want to."
Rin shook her head and tightened her hold against her husband. She rested her head on top of his and sighed.
She wanted more of this from him. It would've been even better if she was lost in his arms, but she was alright with this for now. Yes, for now it was fine. But she wanted him to do this even more in his adult form because she knew that she would want this again. And again. Maybe he would do it. Maybe he wanted to be closer to her in some way. Maybe...maybe he would do it for her.
She quickly put the thought aside as she believed it to be a selfish wish. Sesshomaru gave her all he could without hurting his pride. She had to learn to live with that. Maybe he would hug her. Maybe he would not. She married him for better or for worst. Nothing would change that.
They separated from each other's arms but Sesshomaru did not want to leave her touch, so he laid his head against her lap and closed his eyes as Rin brushed her fingers through his hair.
He felt like he had just entered Heaven. No one had touched him like this since he was a new born pup. And the only one who did that was his maid (who had also been his nanny), but she wasn't as gentle, or as relaxing as Rin.
Rin was an expert. She was great. Really, she was. And she was making him feel all tingly. Especially when her fingers lightly brushed against his ears.
He stifled a grin. "Rin," he said, "stop it,"
She stopped. "What? What did I do?"
He looked up at her and beamed. "You touched my ear. That's my tickle spot." He made a shooshing sound against his finger and whispered, "Don't tell anybody what I just said. Mother told me dat I mustn't whisper my secrets to anyone. So don't say a word."
Rin nodded, trying (and failing) to look serious. "I won't tell a soul. I promise, Sesshomaru. Really, I do."
He nodded. "Thank you."
Rin began to brush his hair again, paying close attention to his ear, making sure she never touched it again. But then curiosity got the better of her and she couldn't help herself. She tentatively reached the tip of his ear and wiggled her fingers against it and his neck.
And then something beautiful happened...
Sesshomaru laughed.