InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mating Season ❯ Blink of an Eye ( Chapter 79 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: SplendentGoddess 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.16.2007 | Updated On: 08.18.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.3K | Visits: 9.0K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.16.2007 | Updated On: 08.18.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.3K | Visits: 9.0K | Status: Completed
Blanket Disclaimer:
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 79 - Blink of an Eye
The strain Shippo was feeling was great. Never before had anything in his life ever been that hard to withstand. He had over exuded himself once before, when he’d used his “Fox Fire” power to shield Kagome and the others that time they had laid poisoned in that burning building, but this time, not only was he draining himself of his kitsune magic, but he was also severely injured. The blast he had taken in order to shield Rin left him with several visually superficial wounds, as the youki blades sliced into his skin, but he was also fairly certain that the shockwave had also cracked a rib or two. It was incredibly hard for him to breathe, and maintaining his steady stream of fire was quickly proving more and more difficult.
“Rin…” he managed to rasp out, “Please…” Run away he finished in his thoughts.
“I won’t leave you.” came her soft reply as though reading his mind, as he felt her place her hands upon his shoulders.
“I…” he tried to utter, “I can’t…” protect you…
He vowed then and there that if the bear did get to Rin, it would mean that he was already dead.
Then, in the blink of an eye, “Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!” was shouted by the voice of his father, as the youkai before him was suddenly reduced to unrecognizable strips of flesh and fur.
“Oh thank the gods…” came a pained whisper, as his flames instantly receded, his small form collapsing upon the ground, unconscious.
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The day Rin was scheduled to return home came and went with little consequence. A large two-headed dragon was seen ascending into the sky by many of the villagers, but it bore no passenger. Rin had been raised to think for herself, and while she had always followed orders as a child, she was also perfectly capable of making her own decisions when the time called for it. She was, after all, an “adult” now. The sense of honor and responsibility Sesshoumaru had instilled in her throughout her childhood would not permit her to abandon her companion now. At the same time, she knew better than to cause her adoptive father worry, so she had ordered Ah-Un to return to the West as scheduled, bearing a note Inuyasha had provided for her. Effectively stranding herself in Inuyasha’s village, the hanyou had assured the child that whenever she was ready to return home, Kirara would be made available for her journey. But so long as Shippo lay incapacitated, Rin didn’t plan on going anywhere.
It had all happened so suddenly. There they were, running and laughing, and then, in the blink of an eye, a monstrous youkai was upon them. She did her best to explain all that had happened, though she herself still had trouble believing it. She kept believing, kept hoping, that Shippo would suddenly spring awake, and tell her that everything was just fine. But hoping and believing didn’t always make it come true.
It had been two days so far, and aside from the occasional incoherent mumble, sometimes accompanied by Rin’s name, the kitsune had yet to respond. He had a fever, and Kagome monitored him carefully, knowing that illness, though rare, was not an impossible occurrence for preadolescent youkai. During the last week that Rin had been staying with them, she had taken to sleeping on Shippo’s futon, per his insistence, while he (in an attempt at propriety) slept on the floor at her side. Now, however, their positions were reversed. Inuyasha had offered that he, himself, could also take to sleeping on the floor, so that Rin may share their bed with Kagome, but the girl politely declined the offer. She was no stranger to sleeping on floors, after all, and after the time of her resurrection, she had often slept upon the bare earth under the stars while accompanying Sesshoumaru on his patrols.
Speaking of Sesshoumaru, they had yet to hear word back regarding the incident, not that they were certain that he would respond, but Inuyasha was sure that the next time they talked, he would undoubtedly be hearing about it. There was really no way to extenuate the details, when you considered that he had to be made aware of Shippo’s condition as reason for Rin’s desire to remain for a yet undetermined length of time. Inuyasha only hoped that Sesshoumaru didn’t attempt to prevent the girl from ever returning there again. He was sure that Rin would obey such an order, but he was equally sure that such a separation would break Shippo’s heart. Before this terrible accident, Inuyasha hadn’t honestly been sure exactly what feelings resided within Rin’s heart, but now, as he observed the way she helped he and Kagome care for their son, the hanyou secretly smiled at the secure knowledge that his boy’s love was indeed returned.
His smile was quick to turn into a frown, however, when he thought again about what had happened. What had almost happened. He hadn’t smelled the damn bear, his senses flooded with the scent of boar’s blood at the time. They were too deep into the forest for him to have sensed its youki signature, the bear being a lower level youkai, after all. Only when he heard the children screaming did he suddenly realize that there was trouble, as he left poor Sango in his dust, transforming himself back into his pure youkai form in the blink of an eye, praying that he reached their position in time.
As he had approached the scene, several feelings flooded him all at once. He had felt sick to his stomach, first at foremost, at his own impotent protection of the youngsters. True, they had ventured further away from the village than he had instructed, but that was no excuse. But at the same time, Inuyasha had felt an immense swelling of pride wash over him at witnessing his son’s own ability to protect the mortal girl. Shippo was clearly injured, the scent of his blood reaching his nose, and it was with a paternal fury that he ripped through the miserable beast that had dared to threaten his young.
Shippo had collapsed immediately afterward, the human girl by his side crying his name as she attempted to wake him. Inuyasha remembered scenting the deafening amount of fear that had exuded from her being after Shippo’s collapse. Rin hadn’t feared for herself against that bear youkai nearly as strongly as she then feared for Shippo’s well-being. Inuyasha had never really engaged in much physical contact with the girl, but he’d felt in that moment that a reassuring hand upon her shoulder was a necessary gesture, as he assured her that Shippo would be fine. Upon insisting that they needed to get back to his hut as quickly as possible, Rin had agreed to climb upon his back, while he carried Shippo’s form in his arms. It had felt…odd…to carry a female other than his mate, but yet…Inuyasha’s youkai had accepted the girl. She was pack.
Inuyasha had burst back into the clearing that lead to their hut to be greeted by the sight of Kagome rushing in his direction, bow in hand. Her youkai hearing wasn’t that good… But then the explanation for her appearance presented itself in the form of a female Taijiya, wielding a rather large boomerang made of youkai bone. Both girls skidded to a halt upon seeing Inuyasha rushing towards them. That was, until Kagome realized what it was he was holding, as she promptly dropped her bow while crying Shippo’s name, running the rest of the distance towards her mate until they met somewhere in the middle. Sango had never before seen Kagome run quite so fast, the miko using her enhanced youkai strength to accomplish the task.
Now, as he checked in on Shippo’s condition once more, Inuyasha’s frown slowly turned back into a quiet smile, as he gazed at the scene before him. Kagome had said Shippo’s fever appeared to be lessening, and she was currently in their room getting Kazuki ready for bed, leaving Shippo’s watch to Rin alone for the evening. She was dressed in a plain white sleeping yukata, the only change in clothing she had brought besides the silken robes she had been wearing, which were now ruined, stained with dirt, as well as Shippo’s blood. Her hair was unkempt, her complexion slightly pale, and her eyes were puffy and red, betraying the denial of earlier tears. Though Inuyasha was sure the girl could most likely sense his presence in the doorway behind her, she gave no indication to confirm that belief. Instead, she remained exactly where she had been spending most of her time, laying partially on her side, partially propped up by one arm, as she watched over Shippo’s sleeping form, occasionally using her free hand to brush un unruly strand of hair out of his face. She couldn’t possibly be comfortable lying like that, especially on hard wooden flooring, but concerns regarding her own comfort were nonexistent while Shippo remained the only importance of the universe. She was truly beautiful. Inuyasha saw a bit of himself and Kagome as he gazed at the children, the guilt such a thought brought him with remembering all the times he had worried his mate over his health fading into the background at the feeling of love he gained from knowing how deeply she cared for his safety. It wasn’t long before the hanyou decided to speak.
Rin had tried not to cry, had tried to be strong, partially because her father had raised her to be tough, and to not show too many human emotions, and partially because she had remembered that Shippo hated to see a girl cry, just about as badly as his father did. But despite her best efforts, she cursed under her breath at her obvious failure. They may consider her an adult, but she didn’t feel like one! She was still a little girl, wasn’t she? Kagome had said it was okay to still act like a little girl while in their village if she wanted to, that nobody would shun her for acting below her station. Then that meant that it was okay to cry, right? That it was okay to curse that stupid, ugly bear youkai. That no good rotten meanie that had dared to harm herself and Shippo. She thought she was tough, and perhaps she was, in the dojo, but in the real world she was just a weak little human in need of saving. Always in need of saving…
Kagome had told Rin not to get angry with herself, for one, because it would not help Shippo while he needed her to focus on the here and now, and two, because it was not her fault to begin with. She’d reminded Rin of the events as Rin herself had originally explained they’d transpired, and how she had refused to leave Shippo’s side when he’d been hit by that blast of youki. Kagome had called her brave, and strong, and she had said that she was honored that her son had such a fearsome companion. Rin had blushed lightly at the strange way Kagome had said the word “companion” but at the same time, had to admit that it was true. She didn’t just think of Shippo as one of her friends, he was more than that. She’d had other friends, back before the badness had happened in her human village, and she still had other friends…she certainly counted Jaken as one, anyway. But never before had she felt quite that strongly about any of her other friends, though granted, none of them had ever become so injured, let alone while protecting her, but something told her that that, alone, wasn’t the reason for her feelings. Rin felt closer to Shippo than anyone else even before the attack had happened, and she figured that it was because of that reason, that this event now seemed to trouble her so terribly.
Having finally reached the conclusion that attempting to hold back her tears was futile, she had decided to use them as tools to her advantage, making the best and most logical decisions based upon any given situation, just as her father had taught her to do. Plain and simply, she threatened the unconscious kitsune, telling him she knew just how badly he hated her tears, and that she very surely intended to keep them up until he decided to wake. She offered to barter, promising that she would cease her bouts of crying immediately upon his regaining consciousness. So far, he had yet to take her up on her offer, though.
“Fine…be stubborn.” she whispered through her sniffles.
Her tears having ceased for the moment only because her eyes were beginning to hurt from the exertion, Rin was just brushing a stray lock of auburn hair from her charge’s face when she sensed the presence of eyes upon her back.
Never allow your emotions to control you. You are the master. It is you who controls them.
With her father’s teachings ringing in her ears, Rin remained ever in control of her breathing and pulse rate, her body not revealing whether or not she was even aware of the youkai currently standing behind her. She knew that Inuyasha knew that she could sense stronger youki. It was something Sesshoumaru had practically bragged about, if the Taiyoukai was capable of such a display. It was an admirable quality for any mortal to possess, not only being an essential survival tool, but also showing a higher level of general intelligence, at least according to her father. For one so young as herself, with no formal training in the arts of spiritual awareness, the fact that she had developed such an ability basically on her own spoke volumes.
When his low, caring voice, suddenly broke through the silence, Rin was not startled in the least.
“You don’t have to remain on the floor, you know.”
“I will not leave this room.” she answered just as softly, her steady reply, coupled by the fact that she did not even shift her eyes in his direction as she spoke, confirming for the hanyou that she had in fact been aware of his presence all alone.
“I wasn’t suggesting you should.” he said next, finally earning a glance from the girl, as she gazed at him with a bizarre mixture of appreciation and uncertainty.
“Wenying-sama said that as I am no longer a child-”
“Feh” he interrupted, “Wenying ain’t here.”
He offered Rin a soft, understanding smile. Such a kind expression never looking quite right on someone bearing fangs, Rin didn’t blink in the slightest unease at the sight, as she permitted the edges of her lips to raise as well, even if only ever so slightly.
“Shippo ain’t hurt as badly as a human would be.” he assured the girl. “While a human you’d want to make sure you didn’t move around too much, Shippo’s bones have already set, and scooting him over some ain’t gonna hurt nothing. It’s pretty much just his youki that needs to recover by this point.” Seeing her inner battle, he added, “Hell, if anything, your presence will help him heal faster.”
Maybe he shouldn’t have said that after all, he gulped in nervous embarrassment, seeing the confused look the woman/child suddenly gave him. Here we go…
“How?” she asked, “I have no healing powers.”
“Don’t need none.” he muttered, taking a breath, and deciding to say what he’d started to say in the first place, “Whenever I’ve gotten hurt, Kagome’s presence always makes me feel better. Got nothing to do with her being a miko, she’s gotta keep those powers away from my youki.”
“But Kagome is your mate.” Rin stated the obvious. His blush intensified.
“Don’t gotta be mates.” he managed to spit out, “Kagome always tended me back when we were just friends, just like you and Shippo now.” It was Rin’s turn to blush a little darker, and Inuyasha decided to stop beating around the bush. “Shippo cares ‘bout you, you care ‘bout him, and he’ll get better faster if he knows your safe, ‘cause all that’s floating ‘round in that little fox head of his right now is his last thought, which was protectin’ you.”
Rin’s blush continued to intensify, a matching color adorning the hanyou’s cheeks, as he was still a little uncomfortable when it came to discussing ‘feelings’. At least, with anyone other than his mate. But the girl seemed to take to heart what he was saying, thank the gods, as she picked herself up off the floor enough to climb onto the futon, delicately maneuvering herself around Shippo’s prone body, until she had him cradled within her embrace. Truth be told, she had desperately wanted to hold him like that, so she was tremendously glad to know that it was okay to do so.
She had thought nothing of it when they’d slept together back in her room in the castle, but after “becoming a woman” Rin had been getting bombarded with new disciplines and behavior modifications left and right. Jaken had told her it wasn’t appropriate to run around and play like a child any longer, while Wenying had told her that it was not appropriate to share her bedding with a male. She had blushed at the Panda’s knowing look, but swallowed her retort with a polite “Hai, Wenying-sama.” She had wanted to tell the old youkai that Shippo was her friend and she could do whatever she wanted, but had mentally slapped her hands upon her mouth before she’d dared utter such a thing aloud. Where had that thought come from? She’d never had such a snappy little attitude before. Mutters of “human teenagers” were sometimes heard throughout the castle, and Rin had suddenly realized that if it was the reputation of her species to become overly emotional and rebellious at that stage in life, then it was up to her to do everything within her power to not fall into such a category herself.
Still…Rin was glad that Inuyasha had said it was okay for her to share the futon with Shippo. She didn’t care that her back was starting to hurt from sleeping at such a weird angle on her side. She didn’t care that she was cold at night, Shippo’s tremors having secretly caused her to relinquish the blanket they had provided for her. She wasn’t sure how well she believed Inuyasha’s explanation that Shippo would actually heal faster feeling her presence, but she did know that she would feel better, and that it would have nothing to do with sleeping on a warm futon rather than on the cold floor. It wasn’t her place to show weakness, she knew, and she had never intended on acting upon her desires, but since it was now portrayed in the light of doing what was best for Shippo, she readily complied, hoping that the hanyou had missed her sigh of relief.
Her dreams had been peaceful for quite some time, the last haunting image of wolves having bothered her long ago, not even resurfacing when she’d learned of their newly found alliance with the pack. But last night, and the night before last, a new predator had taking up residence within her subconscious mind. A new set of glowing red eyes had been haunting her slumbers. Those nightmares seemed to end differently than the type she was more familiar with. They were truly imaginary, twisted and horrid, filled with frightful imagery fueled by her greatest fears. Her old nightmares, the ones involving the wolves, those were fairly regular, predictable even. She would be running through the woods, the beasts giving chase behind her, she would stumble, they would pounce, she would be ripped to shreds, then she would bolt awake upon reliving the sensation of her own death. All in all, they were not so much dreams, as a reoccurring memory, since that very event had in deed taken place.
No, her current dreams…those dreams involved herself and Shippo, doing their very best to fight off that cursed bear youkai, but they were not true memories. They did not end the same way the genuine event itself had unfolded. In her dreams of the last two nights, they had not been rescued by her father’s brother. The first night, the night immediately following the attack itself, she had been floating upon the fake horse created by Shippo’s magic, looking down in terror as his giant balloon form took the brunt of the attack meant for herself. She peered over the side to see his broken and unmoving body lying eerily quiet upon the forest floor. That had been when she’d woken up, barely suppressing the scream that had been ready to burst from her throat.
Last night…she shook at the memory of it, just thinking back. That time Shippo had survived the bear’s blast, as he had indeed done in real life, and she was by his side squaring off against the monstrosity, club in hand, for all the good such a pitiful weapon would do her. Shippo’s fire blast gave out, and Rin screamed in terror as she saw the bear swipe at him with a paw nearly the size of the kit’s entire body, as said body flew brokenly to land with a dull thud several meters away. Tightening her grip on the branch/club she held in her fists, Rin imagined it was a sword, and charged the youkai, her tears blinding her in her fury, a mad rage she’d never felt before coursing through her veins. She plunged the blunt piece of wood straight through the bear’s heart…but it was useless. Ignoring the branch protruding from its body, said youkai swiped at her, the feel of impact against its swing surely matching that of falling from a great cliff. Landing with an audible crack not ten feet from where Shippo had fallen, she managed to crawl her broken body over towards her friend. For some reason, the bear had seemed to disappear at that point, and for that, she was grateful. Rin knew that even though Sesshoumaru was not too close by, that he would undoubtedly find them eventually, and her last thought before death was to protect Shippo’s body, so that even if she herself could not be saved again by Tenseiga, Shippo’s fallen form would be safe, and revivable.
She had awoken then, slowly, calmly, in a foggy confusion that had allowed her to believe, for even only the tiniest of split seconds, that her dream had in fact been reality. A wave of panic had washed over her quickly, until she’d reached forward, to find Shippo’s sleeping form still resting safely upon his futon. Rin hadn’t cared what condition she herself had been in, just so long as Shippo was okay. After the memories of what had really happened fully returned to her, she’d found that sleep suddenly sounded rather unappealing, as she chose to remain awake for the remainder of the night.
Now, as she laid comfortably on the cushion beside her friend, warmed by the blankets that wrapped themselves around them, she suddenly smiled at the way Shippo seemed to snuggle closer to her in his unconscious state. It was true that he had been occasionally muttering her name in his sleep, so perhaps what Inuyasha had said was true also, after all. Had he been focusing so much of his energy in needing to assure himself that she was okay, that he was subconsciously neglecting his own needs? What a pair they made, Rin chuckled ironically to herself. Here she was, putting her own health on the back burner, as it were, and all that time, little unconscious Shippo had been doing the exact same thing. She felt him snuggle into her even closer, inhaling her scent in his sleep, as her name escaped his lips once again. That time, his voice sounded much more relaxed rather than pained, and quietly, Rin leaned closer to his ear, as she whispered “I’m here” in return.
Inuyasha smiled as he finally made his way down the short hall towards the master bedchamber, where he was sure Kagome had heard his conversation with the girl. They had both been aware of her nightmares of the last two nights, but she seemed so tough and determined during the day that neither of them knew exactly how to go about bringing it up. He knew he had finally come up with the perfect solution, he smiled to himself in satisfaction, only to be greeted with an approving smile by his mate as he rounded the corner and entered their room, clearly indicating that she agreed with his decision as well. It was true, after all, that Shippo would recover faster immersed in Rin’s scent. His youkai had chosen the girl, that much was obvious. Knowing she was safe, knowing he was safe, and that they were together…that would certainly aid in Shippo’s recovery, if Inuyasha’s past experiences with battles and Kagome’s healing touches after the fact were any indicator. As for Rin, it was no good for her to be putting her own health at risk like that, sleeping on the cold hard floor, without a blanket no less. Plus, hopefully, feeling Shippo’s presence so close would also help to ward off the unpleasant imagery of her dreams. It was clear she had been wanting to hold him close, if the relieved sigh that had escaped her lips was any indication. Inuyasha also did not miss her whispered words to the kit just before he reached his mate and infant.
A soft kiss greeted him on the lips, before Kagome handed him their youngest son, slipping out of her miko garb for the night, and into a soft sleeping yukata similar to Rin’s. Inuyasha never would get comfortable in clothing other than his fire-rat, and as such, remained clad in his usual kimono, his son’s outfit a perfect match to his own. If Shippo’s injuries had been more severe, it would be Kagome herself crying over his unconscious form, refusing to leave his side, but years of living amongst youkai in the feudal era had taught Kagome a thing or two about their resilience. They were built a lot tougher than herself, first and foremost. Yes, Shippo was hurt, but his injuries were not life threatening. He was unconscious partially because he had used up so much of his magical energies, and partially because he had worried himself to the point of exhaustion. He was still a child, after all. But in truth, sleep was all the doctor ordered for a situation like that one, and they knew that in another day or so, he would be coming around, and it wouldn’t be long at all before he was just like new again.
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Sesshoumaru paced the same hall for the fiftieth time. Of course, the Lord of the Western Lands did not “pace” as a mere mortal would be seen doing, in some obscure display of agitated emotions. Of course not. Such limitations did not befall one as great as the Taiyoukai of the West. However, he was feeling…untired…and did not wish to disturb his mate and pup with his restlessness. Therefore, the only logical course of action one could take in such a happenstance, was to…use up…one’s stored energy. Enough passes through his castle’s corridors would surely achieve his goal. After all, he needed to stay within range should something suddenly trouble his mate and pup, and therefore, he could not afford to risk venturing outdoors. It was logical. Flawlessly logical. Why he happened to favor the particular hall that led to Rin’s assigned sleeping chamber was purely coincidental, he was sure.
He did not often admit, even to himself, that he was capable of experiencing fear. One of the few times he could recall the emotion slowly encroaching upon him, though he was quick to regain control, would be the very first time he had ever encountered his brother’s transformation. Back when what was happening was not only unknown to himself, but to the hanyou, as well. Another time he could recall experiencing fear, even though it lasted for only a second, perhaps two, was when Ah-Un had returned to the castle empty handed.
After cooling his youkai enough to register that the dragon did not seem distressed, he approached his long-time steed and loyal companion with an air of suppressed agitation. Whatever had happened, at least Rin was surely unharmed, or Ah-Un would not be emitting such a peaceful aura. That disobedient ningen! His anger wanted to rise in concealment of his fear, thinking how dare she worry him so! But that, too, went undisplayed upon the surface, as his composure remained ever stoic. Then he discovered the scroll lashed to the dragon’s bridle, and removing it, he permitted the beast to return to his fields.
So, that idiot half-brother of his had failed in his duty to protect the children, and as a result, they were both very nearly killed. A harsh growl escaped his throat at the memory before he could stop himself, then he quickly scanned the surrounding area to determine if his slumbering pack and staff members had been disturbed by the noise. Kagura and Suishoukaze both appeared to still be sleeping peacefully, if the sounds of their rhythmic breathing and heartbeats were any indicator, so he took a moment to cool his temper once again, and then, resumed his pacing.
Passing by the shoji to Rin’s room yet again, Sesshoumaru took in her lingering scent, and reminded himself that she was in fact unharmed. He had to remind himself also, that he had given her permission, as an adult, to venture out on this trek on her own, trusting her own judgment and sense of responsibility to keep her from coming to danger. He knew the blame could not be placed 100% upon the kitsune for how deeply within the woods they had ventured in their play, if his memories of Rin’s exploratory nature were at all accurate, which they were. He also understood what his brother had explained, regarding how he’d very nearly lost Shippo, as the kit had risked his own life to save Rin, abandoning his nature as a fox, which was to abandon everything else in favor of saving their own skin. The sense of honor and protection Shippo possessed was undoubtedly the results of being raised by a miko and inu-youkai, even though Inuyasha was only a hanyou…
He stopped that line of thinking, shaking his head with a barely visible smile of amusement. Inuyasha was anything but “only” a hanyou. Yes, he was half human, but he was stronger than most pure youkai, and he carried within himself a sense of responsibility and duty that Sesshoumaru had once doubted someone abandoned from childhood would be capable of possessing. Undoubtedly the miko’s doing as well, he thought, his smile increasing ever so slightly. Still, Inuyasha was a good man, and as the Taiyoukai realized that this incident was in all honestly not entirely his fault, either, Sesshoumaru took an uncharacteristic moment to step out of himself, and think on things from his brother’s point of view. How it must have felt to suddenly realize their pups were in danger, and how it must have looked to burst upon the scene, witnessing all that had transpired. He knew from personal experience how quickly any given situation could change. In merely the time it took to blink, the surrounding wood could go from peaceful, to threatening. He knew that. He was usually in the role of threat when such an occurrence took place, yet he knew that nonetheless. Inuyasha had reached them in time, saving them both, so wasn’t that what truly mattered? Sesshoumaru suddenly recalled the few times, it had happened, that Rin had been captured as a child, while out on patrols. He chuckled again, one of those responsible for such an abominable act currently resting nude in his master chamber.
His amusement was quick to leave him though, as he thought of those besides Kagura who had sought to cause Rin harm over the years. There had been many close calls during his various travels, and any of which could have easily turned deadly had one wrong move been made. Sometimes…it was nobody’s fault. Was his brother truly to blame then, for anything other than saving them from such a horrible tragedy? As Sesshoumaru was made to understand it, the children had ventured beyond the borders specified by his instructions, so it was not as though the hanyou was without reason, and had granted the young ones free range of the wilderness before them. Sesshoumaru knew that he could not hold his anger against the unthinking kitsune either, really, when he took into consideration how Shippo had then proceeded to save his daughter, thus redeeming himself for his previous error in judgment. It was incredibly foreign to feel consideration towards the well-being of anyone other than himself, and only so recently, his extended being comprising of his mate and pups, but as Sesshoumaru thought further on the matter at hand…he suddenly realized that he was genuinely relieved to know that Shippo, too, would be all right.
It also touched a part of himself that he had trouble naming, to know that it was Inuyasha himself who had written the letter. Something that would be impossible to detect among humans, Sesshoumaru could easily tell by the fact that his brother’s scent was the only one to permeate the scroll besides Ah-Un. He knew that his brother often had trouble with words, and he also knew that a large part of Inuyasha likely still felt uncomfortable with the general idea that they were a family now… the incidents of the past sometimes being hard to forget. The fact that Inuyasha had taken it upon himself to write such a letter, which truthfully, should fall under his responsibility, showed that he was aware of the duties that befell him in their new roles, and that he respected his older brother enough to tell him the truth, regardless of the consequences.
Inuyasha had not stated more in the letter than merely the facts of what had transpired, bearing explanation for Rin’s delay in returning. He had assured his brother that Rin was unharmed, and that Shippo would recover, but beyond that, no words were given on either seeking or giving comfort. He did apologize, but he did not attempt to spout disillusions of promising such an occurrence would never happen again, when it knowingly should never have been permitted to happen in the first place. He did not state any hopes regarding the future relations between their children, and whether or not Rin would continue to be permitted to visit their village, or even Shippo to the castle, yet Sesshoumaru knew that it was more likely than not a concern on his part. Sesshoumaru knew himself, and he knew that in the past, he would not have hesitated to forbid Rin from ever again being in the company of those who could not properly protect her. However, besides the fact that she was, in truth, an adult by their standards, he also believed, he simply felt it in his youki, that those two were honestly destined for one another. No, he would not attempt to keep them apart. But…perhaps a nice, long talk with the kitsune would be in order, when the pup was well again, of course. It would do no good to literally scare him to death, after all. A strong youki and stronger heart would be needed for that conversation.
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Where was he?
Wherever he was, he was safe and warm, snuggled up within the embrace of somebody familiar. Hmmm, they must be on the hunt again, and Kagome had him cuddled within that sleeping bag thing of hers.
No, wait…that can’t be right.
Yes, he remembered now, the hunts were over. Kagome was mated to Inuyasha, they were his parents…and he didn’t sleep with her any more. That was okay though, he was a big boy, his pride told him, as he puffed out his chest in determination. He didn’t need to cuddle with anyone! Yet…it certainly felt like he was being held within somebody’s embrace…and he guiltily admitted, even if only to himself, that it was a sensation he had desperately missed.
Some may say that Kagome coddled him too much. Some may call him spoiled. But Shippo knew what it was like to face his own hardships…to see his father’s pelt wrapped around the fat belly of his enemy, the scent of blood and death blocking out the rest of the world as he fought to keep from fainting and sharing his father’s fate. Yes, he had seen battle, he had seen death, and he knew, just like any warrior knew, that life could truly be taken away without a moment’s notice.
That was why he willingly clung to childhood the way Kagome had permitted him to do. That was why he wanted to play, to joke, to laugh, to enjoy life. He wasn’t stupid. He knew the mission his adoptive parents and their friends had embarked upon was dangerous, suicidal even, yet they were his family, and he knew his place was at their side. Through it all, they persevered, though the odds had been stacked against them. Now, he had a place to call home once again, the love of parents who protected and taught him, and the friendship of a girl who…
Rin!
Was she okay? She must be okay. He was still alive, and therefore he knew she was okay, because he had sworn that he would die before he permitted that bear to harm her.
The warm body whose arms were wrapped securely around his own suddenly shifted, ever so slightly, but it was the light moan that escaped its owner’s lips that had him blinking his eyes open, taking a moment to adjust to the light of day.
Rin…
It was Rin who held him, and suddenly, as he visualized their positions, he didn’t seem all that smaller than her. She didn’t cling to him like a teddy bear, but rather, his body outstretched nearly half the full length of hers… When did he get so big? Perhaps he had increased his size unconsciously with his kitsune magic? That was possible, right? As it was, she had him positioned up near the head of the futon, beside her, so that though his feet didn’t reach as far down as hers, their heads were at even levels.
“Rin…” he whispered, not even realizing he had spoken aloud until it was too late, as he saw her eyes flutter open to meet his gaze.
“Shippo…” she whispered in relief, not making any indication that she wished to alter their current positions. “Rin is…” She caught herself, having spoken in the third person less and less often with his influence, “I am…glad you’re all right.” she said.
“Stupid…” he hissed, unconsciously behaving quite like his father would in the same situation, trying desperately to conceal his vulnerability with aggression. “Who cares about me?” he whisper/snapped, adding under his breath, “So long as you are okay.”
Well, all right…so he showed a little more compassion than past-Inuyasha. Rin, for her credit, ignored his harsh words, reading the emotions playing before his eyes as easily as though they were words on a page.
“I do…” she answered him finally, having waited so long before uttering the response, that Shippo in turn had forgotten what he’d even asked her.
“You do what?”
“Care…” she answered.
Shippo wasn’t sure if he could trust what he was reading in her eyes then, or if he was merely delusional from his still weakened state. What he did know, was what he felt in his own heart, and so, moving quicker than the blink of an eye, before he lost his nerve, the kitsune sprung his head forward, placing a quick, chaste, embarrassed peck upon her lips.
Heat rushed to his cheeks upon seeing Rin’s own blushing expression, but a part of him sung out that the girl had not moved to get off of the futon after his action. She still remained in the exact same spot, as if stunned, a surprised/embarrassed/happy expression upon her face.
“Me too…” he whispered, after finding his voice.
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 79 - Blink of an Eye
The strain Shippo was feeling was great. Never before had anything in his life ever been that hard to withstand. He had over exuded himself once before, when he’d used his “Fox Fire” power to shield Kagome and the others that time they had laid poisoned in that burning building, but this time, not only was he draining himself of his kitsune magic, but he was also severely injured. The blast he had taken in order to shield Rin left him with several visually superficial wounds, as the youki blades sliced into his skin, but he was also fairly certain that the shockwave had also cracked a rib or two. It was incredibly hard for him to breathe, and maintaining his steady stream of fire was quickly proving more and more difficult.
“Rin…” he managed to rasp out, “Please…” Run away he finished in his thoughts.
“I won’t leave you.” came her soft reply as though reading his mind, as he felt her place her hands upon his shoulders.
“I…” he tried to utter, “I can’t…” protect you…
He vowed then and there that if the bear did get to Rin, it would mean that he was already dead.
Then, in the blink of an eye, “Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!” was shouted by the voice of his father, as the youkai before him was suddenly reduced to unrecognizable strips of flesh and fur.
“Oh thank the gods…” came a pained whisper, as his flames instantly receded, his small form collapsing upon the ground, unconscious.
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The day Rin was scheduled to return home came and went with little consequence. A large two-headed dragon was seen ascending into the sky by many of the villagers, but it bore no passenger. Rin had been raised to think for herself, and while she had always followed orders as a child, she was also perfectly capable of making her own decisions when the time called for it. She was, after all, an “adult” now. The sense of honor and responsibility Sesshoumaru had instilled in her throughout her childhood would not permit her to abandon her companion now. At the same time, she knew better than to cause her adoptive father worry, so she had ordered Ah-Un to return to the West as scheduled, bearing a note Inuyasha had provided for her. Effectively stranding herself in Inuyasha’s village, the hanyou had assured the child that whenever she was ready to return home, Kirara would be made available for her journey. But so long as Shippo lay incapacitated, Rin didn’t plan on going anywhere.
It had all happened so suddenly. There they were, running and laughing, and then, in the blink of an eye, a monstrous youkai was upon them. She did her best to explain all that had happened, though she herself still had trouble believing it. She kept believing, kept hoping, that Shippo would suddenly spring awake, and tell her that everything was just fine. But hoping and believing didn’t always make it come true.
It had been two days so far, and aside from the occasional incoherent mumble, sometimes accompanied by Rin’s name, the kitsune had yet to respond. He had a fever, and Kagome monitored him carefully, knowing that illness, though rare, was not an impossible occurrence for preadolescent youkai. During the last week that Rin had been staying with them, she had taken to sleeping on Shippo’s futon, per his insistence, while he (in an attempt at propriety) slept on the floor at her side. Now, however, their positions were reversed. Inuyasha had offered that he, himself, could also take to sleeping on the floor, so that Rin may share their bed with Kagome, but the girl politely declined the offer. She was no stranger to sleeping on floors, after all, and after the time of her resurrection, she had often slept upon the bare earth under the stars while accompanying Sesshoumaru on his patrols.
Speaking of Sesshoumaru, they had yet to hear word back regarding the incident, not that they were certain that he would respond, but Inuyasha was sure that the next time they talked, he would undoubtedly be hearing about it. There was really no way to extenuate the details, when you considered that he had to be made aware of Shippo’s condition as reason for Rin’s desire to remain for a yet undetermined length of time. Inuyasha only hoped that Sesshoumaru didn’t attempt to prevent the girl from ever returning there again. He was sure that Rin would obey such an order, but he was equally sure that such a separation would break Shippo’s heart. Before this terrible accident, Inuyasha hadn’t honestly been sure exactly what feelings resided within Rin’s heart, but now, as he observed the way she helped he and Kagome care for their son, the hanyou secretly smiled at the secure knowledge that his boy’s love was indeed returned.
His smile was quick to turn into a frown, however, when he thought again about what had happened. What had almost happened. He hadn’t smelled the damn bear, his senses flooded with the scent of boar’s blood at the time. They were too deep into the forest for him to have sensed its youki signature, the bear being a lower level youkai, after all. Only when he heard the children screaming did he suddenly realize that there was trouble, as he left poor Sango in his dust, transforming himself back into his pure youkai form in the blink of an eye, praying that he reached their position in time.
As he had approached the scene, several feelings flooded him all at once. He had felt sick to his stomach, first at foremost, at his own impotent protection of the youngsters. True, they had ventured further away from the village than he had instructed, but that was no excuse. But at the same time, Inuyasha had felt an immense swelling of pride wash over him at witnessing his son’s own ability to protect the mortal girl. Shippo was clearly injured, the scent of his blood reaching his nose, and it was with a paternal fury that he ripped through the miserable beast that had dared to threaten his young.
Shippo had collapsed immediately afterward, the human girl by his side crying his name as she attempted to wake him. Inuyasha remembered scenting the deafening amount of fear that had exuded from her being after Shippo’s collapse. Rin hadn’t feared for herself against that bear youkai nearly as strongly as she then feared for Shippo’s well-being. Inuyasha had never really engaged in much physical contact with the girl, but he’d felt in that moment that a reassuring hand upon her shoulder was a necessary gesture, as he assured her that Shippo would be fine. Upon insisting that they needed to get back to his hut as quickly as possible, Rin had agreed to climb upon his back, while he carried Shippo’s form in his arms. It had felt…odd…to carry a female other than his mate, but yet…Inuyasha’s youkai had accepted the girl. She was pack.
Inuyasha had burst back into the clearing that lead to their hut to be greeted by the sight of Kagome rushing in his direction, bow in hand. Her youkai hearing wasn’t that good… But then the explanation for her appearance presented itself in the form of a female Taijiya, wielding a rather large boomerang made of youkai bone. Both girls skidded to a halt upon seeing Inuyasha rushing towards them. That was, until Kagome realized what it was he was holding, as she promptly dropped her bow while crying Shippo’s name, running the rest of the distance towards her mate until they met somewhere in the middle. Sango had never before seen Kagome run quite so fast, the miko using her enhanced youkai strength to accomplish the task.
Now, as he checked in on Shippo’s condition once more, Inuyasha’s frown slowly turned back into a quiet smile, as he gazed at the scene before him. Kagome had said Shippo’s fever appeared to be lessening, and she was currently in their room getting Kazuki ready for bed, leaving Shippo’s watch to Rin alone for the evening. She was dressed in a plain white sleeping yukata, the only change in clothing she had brought besides the silken robes she had been wearing, which were now ruined, stained with dirt, as well as Shippo’s blood. Her hair was unkempt, her complexion slightly pale, and her eyes were puffy and red, betraying the denial of earlier tears. Though Inuyasha was sure the girl could most likely sense his presence in the doorway behind her, she gave no indication to confirm that belief. Instead, she remained exactly where she had been spending most of her time, laying partially on her side, partially propped up by one arm, as she watched over Shippo’s sleeping form, occasionally using her free hand to brush un unruly strand of hair out of his face. She couldn’t possibly be comfortable lying like that, especially on hard wooden flooring, but concerns regarding her own comfort were nonexistent while Shippo remained the only importance of the universe. She was truly beautiful. Inuyasha saw a bit of himself and Kagome as he gazed at the children, the guilt such a thought brought him with remembering all the times he had worried his mate over his health fading into the background at the feeling of love he gained from knowing how deeply she cared for his safety. It wasn’t long before the hanyou decided to speak.
Rin had tried not to cry, had tried to be strong, partially because her father had raised her to be tough, and to not show too many human emotions, and partially because she had remembered that Shippo hated to see a girl cry, just about as badly as his father did. But despite her best efforts, she cursed under her breath at her obvious failure. They may consider her an adult, but she didn’t feel like one! She was still a little girl, wasn’t she? Kagome had said it was okay to still act like a little girl while in their village if she wanted to, that nobody would shun her for acting below her station. Then that meant that it was okay to cry, right? That it was okay to curse that stupid, ugly bear youkai. That no good rotten meanie that had dared to harm herself and Shippo. She thought she was tough, and perhaps she was, in the dojo, but in the real world she was just a weak little human in need of saving. Always in need of saving…
Kagome had told Rin not to get angry with herself, for one, because it would not help Shippo while he needed her to focus on the here and now, and two, because it was not her fault to begin with. She’d reminded Rin of the events as Rin herself had originally explained they’d transpired, and how she had refused to leave Shippo’s side when he’d been hit by that blast of youki. Kagome had called her brave, and strong, and she had said that she was honored that her son had such a fearsome companion. Rin had blushed lightly at the strange way Kagome had said the word “companion” but at the same time, had to admit that it was true. She didn’t just think of Shippo as one of her friends, he was more than that. She’d had other friends, back before the badness had happened in her human village, and she still had other friends…she certainly counted Jaken as one, anyway. But never before had she felt quite that strongly about any of her other friends, though granted, none of them had ever become so injured, let alone while protecting her, but something told her that that, alone, wasn’t the reason for her feelings. Rin felt closer to Shippo than anyone else even before the attack had happened, and she figured that it was because of that reason, that this event now seemed to trouble her so terribly.
Having finally reached the conclusion that attempting to hold back her tears was futile, she had decided to use them as tools to her advantage, making the best and most logical decisions based upon any given situation, just as her father had taught her to do. Plain and simply, she threatened the unconscious kitsune, telling him she knew just how badly he hated her tears, and that she very surely intended to keep them up until he decided to wake. She offered to barter, promising that she would cease her bouts of crying immediately upon his regaining consciousness. So far, he had yet to take her up on her offer, though.
“Fine…be stubborn.” she whispered through her sniffles.
Her tears having ceased for the moment only because her eyes were beginning to hurt from the exertion, Rin was just brushing a stray lock of auburn hair from her charge’s face when she sensed the presence of eyes upon her back.
Never allow your emotions to control you. You are the master. It is you who controls them.
With her father’s teachings ringing in her ears, Rin remained ever in control of her breathing and pulse rate, her body not revealing whether or not she was even aware of the youkai currently standing behind her. She knew that Inuyasha knew that she could sense stronger youki. It was something Sesshoumaru had practically bragged about, if the Taiyoukai was capable of such a display. It was an admirable quality for any mortal to possess, not only being an essential survival tool, but also showing a higher level of general intelligence, at least according to her father. For one so young as herself, with no formal training in the arts of spiritual awareness, the fact that she had developed such an ability basically on her own spoke volumes.
When his low, caring voice, suddenly broke through the silence, Rin was not startled in the least.
“You don’t have to remain on the floor, you know.”
“I will not leave this room.” she answered just as softly, her steady reply, coupled by the fact that she did not even shift her eyes in his direction as she spoke, confirming for the hanyou that she had in fact been aware of his presence all alone.
“I wasn’t suggesting you should.” he said next, finally earning a glance from the girl, as she gazed at him with a bizarre mixture of appreciation and uncertainty.
“Wenying-sama said that as I am no longer a child-”
“Feh” he interrupted, “Wenying ain’t here.”
He offered Rin a soft, understanding smile. Such a kind expression never looking quite right on someone bearing fangs, Rin didn’t blink in the slightest unease at the sight, as she permitted the edges of her lips to raise as well, even if only ever so slightly.
“Shippo ain’t hurt as badly as a human would be.” he assured the girl. “While a human you’d want to make sure you didn’t move around too much, Shippo’s bones have already set, and scooting him over some ain’t gonna hurt nothing. It’s pretty much just his youki that needs to recover by this point.” Seeing her inner battle, he added, “Hell, if anything, your presence will help him heal faster.”
Maybe he shouldn’t have said that after all, he gulped in nervous embarrassment, seeing the confused look the woman/child suddenly gave him. Here we go…
“How?” she asked, “I have no healing powers.”
“Don’t need none.” he muttered, taking a breath, and deciding to say what he’d started to say in the first place, “Whenever I’ve gotten hurt, Kagome’s presence always makes me feel better. Got nothing to do with her being a miko, she’s gotta keep those powers away from my youki.”
“But Kagome is your mate.” Rin stated the obvious. His blush intensified.
“Don’t gotta be mates.” he managed to spit out, “Kagome always tended me back when we were just friends, just like you and Shippo now.” It was Rin’s turn to blush a little darker, and Inuyasha decided to stop beating around the bush. “Shippo cares ‘bout you, you care ‘bout him, and he’ll get better faster if he knows your safe, ‘cause all that’s floating ‘round in that little fox head of his right now is his last thought, which was protectin’ you.”
Rin’s blush continued to intensify, a matching color adorning the hanyou’s cheeks, as he was still a little uncomfortable when it came to discussing ‘feelings’. At least, with anyone other than his mate. But the girl seemed to take to heart what he was saying, thank the gods, as she picked herself up off the floor enough to climb onto the futon, delicately maneuvering herself around Shippo’s prone body, until she had him cradled within her embrace. Truth be told, she had desperately wanted to hold him like that, so she was tremendously glad to know that it was okay to do so.
She had thought nothing of it when they’d slept together back in her room in the castle, but after “becoming a woman” Rin had been getting bombarded with new disciplines and behavior modifications left and right. Jaken had told her it wasn’t appropriate to run around and play like a child any longer, while Wenying had told her that it was not appropriate to share her bedding with a male. She had blushed at the Panda’s knowing look, but swallowed her retort with a polite “Hai, Wenying-sama.” She had wanted to tell the old youkai that Shippo was her friend and she could do whatever she wanted, but had mentally slapped her hands upon her mouth before she’d dared utter such a thing aloud. Where had that thought come from? She’d never had such a snappy little attitude before. Mutters of “human teenagers” were sometimes heard throughout the castle, and Rin had suddenly realized that if it was the reputation of her species to become overly emotional and rebellious at that stage in life, then it was up to her to do everything within her power to not fall into such a category herself.
Still…Rin was glad that Inuyasha had said it was okay for her to share the futon with Shippo. She didn’t care that her back was starting to hurt from sleeping at such a weird angle on her side. She didn’t care that she was cold at night, Shippo’s tremors having secretly caused her to relinquish the blanket they had provided for her. She wasn’t sure how well she believed Inuyasha’s explanation that Shippo would actually heal faster feeling her presence, but she did know that she would feel better, and that it would have nothing to do with sleeping on a warm futon rather than on the cold floor. It wasn’t her place to show weakness, she knew, and she had never intended on acting upon her desires, but since it was now portrayed in the light of doing what was best for Shippo, she readily complied, hoping that the hanyou had missed her sigh of relief.
Her dreams had been peaceful for quite some time, the last haunting image of wolves having bothered her long ago, not even resurfacing when she’d learned of their newly found alliance with the pack. But last night, and the night before last, a new predator had taking up residence within her subconscious mind. A new set of glowing red eyes had been haunting her slumbers. Those nightmares seemed to end differently than the type she was more familiar with. They were truly imaginary, twisted and horrid, filled with frightful imagery fueled by her greatest fears. Her old nightmares, the ones involving the wolves, those were fairly regular, predictable even. She would be running through the woods, the beasts giving chase behind her, she would stumble, they would pounce, she would be ripped to shreds, then she would bolt awake upon reliving the sensation of her own death. All in all, they were not so much dreams, as a reoccurring memory, since that very event had in deed taken place.
No, her current dreams…those dreams involved herself and Shippo, doing their very best to fight off that cursed bear youkai, but they were not true memories. They did not end the same way the genuine event itself had unfolded. In her dreams of the last two nights, they had not been rescued by her father’s brother. The first night, the night immediately following the attack itself, she had been floating upon the fake horse created by Shippo’s magic, looking down in terror as his giant balloon form took the brunt of the attack meant for herself. She peered over the side to see his broken and unmoving body lying eerily quiet upon the forest floor. That had been when she’d woken up, barely suppressing the scream that had been ready to burst from her throat.
Last night…she shook at the memory of it, just thinking back. That time Shippo had survived the bear’s blast, as he had indeed done in real life, and she was by his side squaring off against the monstrosity, club in hand, for all the good such a pitiful weapon would do her. Shippo’s fire blast gave out, and Rin screamed in terror as she saw the bear swipe at him with a paw nearly the size of the kit’s entire body, as said body flew brokenly to land with a dull thud several meters away. Tightening her grip on the branch/club she held in her fists, Rin imagined it was a sword, and charged the youkai, her tears blinding her in her fury, a mad rage she’d never felt before coursing through her veins. She plunged the blunt piece of wood straight through the bear’s heart…but it was useless. Ignoring the branch protruding from its body, said youkai swiped at her, the feel of impact against its swing surely matching that of falling from a great cliff. Landing with an audible crack not ten feet from where Shippo had fallen, she managed to crawl her broken body over towards her friend. For some reason, the bear had seemed to disappear at that point, and for that, she was grateful. Rin knew that even though Sesshoumaru was not too close by, that he would undoubtedly find them eventually, and her last thought before death was to protect Shippo’s body, so that even if she herself could not be saved again by Tenseiga, Shippo’s fallen form would be safe, and revivable.
She had awoken then, slowly, calmly, in a foggy confusion that had allowed her to believe, for even only the tiniest of split seconds, that her dream had in fact been reality. A wave of panic had washed over her quickly, until she’d reached forward, to find Shippo’s sleeping form still resting safely upon his futon. Rin hadn’t cared what condition she herself had been in, just so long as Shippo was okay. After the memories of what had really happened fully returned to her, she’d found that sleep suddenly sounded rather unappealing, as she chose to remain awake for the remainder of the night.
Now, as she laid comfortably on the cushion beside her friend, warmed by the blankets that wrapped themselves around them, she suddenly smiled at the way Shippo seemed to snuggle closer to her in his unconscious state. It was true that he had been occasionally muttering her name in his sleep, so perhaps what Inuyasha had said was true also, after all. Had he been focusing so much of his energy in needing to assure himself that she was okay, that he was subconsciously neglecting his own needs? What a pair they made, Rin chuckled ironically to herself. Here she was, putting her own health on the back burner, as it were, and all that time, little unconscious Shippo had been doing the exact same thing. She felt him snuggle into her even closer, inhaling her scent in his sleep, as her name escaped his lips once again. That time, his voice sounded much more relaxed rather than pained, and quietly, Rin leaned closer to his ear, as she whispered “I’m here” in return.
Inuyasha smiled as he finally made his way down the short hall towards the master bedchamber, where he was sure Kagome had heard his conversation with the girl. They had both been aware of her nightmares of the last two nights, but she seemed so tough and determined during the day that neither of them knew exactly how to go about bringing it up. He knew he had finally come up with the perfect solution, he smiled to himself in satisfaction, only to be greeted with an approving smile by his mate as he rounded the corner and entered their room, clearly indicating that she agreed with his decision as well. It was true, after all, that Shippo would recover faster immersed in Rin’s scent. His youkai had chosen the girl, that much was obvious. Knowing she was safe, knowing he was safe, and that they were together…that would certainly aid in Shippo’s recovery, if Inuyasha’s past experiences with battles and Kagome’s healing touches after the fact were any indicator. As for Rin, it was no good for her to be putting her own health at risk like that, sleeping on the cold hard floor, without a blanket no less. Plus, hopefully, feeling Shippo’s presence so close would also help to ward off the unpleasant imagery of her dreams. It was clear she had been wanting to hold him close, if the relieved sigh that had escaped her lips was any indication. Inuyasha also did not miss her whispered words to the kit just before he reached his mate and infant.
A soft kiss greeted him on the lips, before Kagome handed him their youngest son, slipping out of her miko garb for the night, and into a soft sleeping yukata similar to Rin’s. Inuyasha never would get comfortable in clothing other than his fire-rat, and as such, remained clad in his usual kimono, his son’s outfit a perfect match to his own. If Shippo’s injuries had been more severe, it would be Kagome herself crying over his unconscious form, refusing to leave his side, but years of living amongst youkai in the feudal era had taught Kagome a thing or two about their resilience. They were built a lot tougher than herself, first and foremost. Yes, Shippo was hurt, but his injuries were not life threatening. He was unconscious partially because he had used up so much of his magical energies, and partially because he had worried himself to the point of exhaustion. He was still a child, after all. But in truth, sleep was all the doctor ordered for a situation like that one, and they knew that in another day or so, he would be coming around, and it wouldn’t be long at all before he was just like new again.
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Sesshoumaru paced the same hall for the fiftieth time. Of course, the Lord of the Western Lands did not “pace” as a mere mortal would be seen doing, in some obscure display of agitated emotions. Of course not. Such limitations did not befall one as great as the Taiyoukai of the West. However, he was feeling…untired…and did not wish to disturb his mate and pup with his restlessness. Therefore, the only logical course of action one could take in such a happenstance, was to…use up…one’s stored energy. Enough passes through his castle’s corridors would surely achieve his goal. After all, he needed to stay within range should something suddenly trouble his mate and pup, and therefore, he could not afford to risk venturing outdoors. It was logical. Flawlessly logical. Why he happened to favor the particular hall that led to Rin’s assigned sleeping chamber was purely coincidental, he was sure.
He did not often admit, even to himself, that he was capable of experiencing fear. One of the few times he could recall the emotion slowly encroaching upon him, though he was quick to regain control, would be the very first time he had ever encountered his brother’s transformation. Back when what was happening was not only unknown to himself, but to the hanyou, as well. Another time he could recall experiencing fear, even though it lasted for only a second, perhaps two, was when Ah-Un had returned to the castle empty handed.
After cooling his youkai enough to register that the dragon did not seem distressed, he approached his long-time steed and loyal companion with an air of suppressed agitation. Whatever had happened, at least Rin was surely unharmed, or Ah-Un would not be emitting such a peaceful aura. That disobedient ningen! His anger wanted to rise in concealment of his fear, thinking how dare she worry him so! But that, too, went undisplayed upon the surface, as his composure remained ever stoic. Then he discovered the scroll lashed to the dragon’s bridle, and removing it, he permitted the beast to return to his fields.
So, that idiot half-brother of his had failed in his duty to protect the children, and as a result, they were both very nearly killed. A harsh growl escaped his throat at the memory before he could stop himself, then he quickly scanned the surrounding area to determine if his slumbering pack and staff members had been disturbed by the noise. Kagura and Suishoukaze both appeared to still be sleeping peacefully, if the sounds of their rhythmic breathing and heartbeats were any indicator, so he took a moment to cool his temper once again, and then, resumed his pacing.
Passing by the shoji to Rin’s room yet again, Sesshoumaru took in her lingering scent, and reminded himself that she was in fact unharmed. He had to remind himself also, that he had given her permission, as an adult, to venture out on this trek on her own, trusting her own judgment and sense of responsibility to keep her from coming to danger. He knew the blame could not be placed 100% upon the kitsune for how deeply within the woods they had ventured in their play, if his memories of Rin’s exploratory nature were at all accurate, which they were. He also understood what his brother had explained, regarding how he’d very nearly lost Shippo, as the kit had risked his own life to save Rin, abandoning his nature as a fox, which was to abandon everything else in favor of saving their own skin. The sense of honor and protection Shippo possessed was undoubtedly the results of being raised by a miko and inu-youkai, even though Inuyasha was only a hanyou…
He stopped that line of thinking, shaking his head with a barely visible smile of amusement. Inuyasha was anything but “only” a hanyou. Yes, he was half human, but he was stronger than most pure youkai, and he carried within himself a sense of responsibility and duty that Sesshoumaru had once doubted someone abandoned from childhood would be capable of possessing. Undoubtedly the miko’s doing as well, he thought, his smile increasing ever so slightly. Still, Inuyasha was a good man, and as the Taiyoukai realized that this incident was in all honestly not entirely his fault, either, Sesshoumaru took an uncharacteristic moment to step out of himself, and think on things from his brother’s point of view. How it must have felt to suddenly realize their pups were in danger, and how it must have looked to burst upon the scene, witnessing all that had transpired. He knew from personal experience how quickly any given situation could change. In merely the time it took to blink, the surrounding wood could go from peaceful, to threatening. He knew that. He was usually in the role of threat when such an occurrence took place, yet he knew that nonetheless. Inuyasha had reached them in time, saving them both, so wasn’t that what truly mattered? Sesshoumaru suddenly recalled the few times, it had happened, that Rin had been captured as a child, while out on patrols. He chuckled again, one of those responsible for such an abominable act currently resting nude in his master chamber.
His amusement was quick to leave him though, as he thought of those besides Kagura who had sought to cause Rin harm over the years. There had been many close calls during his various travels, and any of which could have easily turned deadly had one wrong move been made. Sometimes…it was nobody’s fault. Was his brother truly to blame then, for anything other than saving them from such a horrible tragedy? As Sesshoumaru was made to understand it, the children had ventured beyond the borders specified by his instructions, so it was not as though the hanyou was without reason, and had granted the young ones free range of the wilderness before them. Sesshoumaru knew that he could not hold his anger against the unthinking kitsune either, really, when he took into consideration how Shippo had then proceeded to save his daughter, thus redeeming himself for his previous error in judgment. It was incredibly foreign to feel consideration towards the well-being of anyone other than himself, and only so recently, his extended being comprising of his mate and pups, but as Sesshoumaru thought further on the matter at hand…he suddenly realized that he was genuinely relieved to know that Shippo, too, would be all right.
It also touched a part of himself that he had trouble naming, to know that it was Inuyasha himself who had written the letter. Something that would be impossible to detect among humans, Sesshoumaru could easily tell by the fact that his brother’s scent was the only one to permeate the scroll besides Ah-Un. He knew that his brother often had trouble with words, and he also knew that a large part of Inuyasha likely still felt uncomfortable with the general idea that they were a family now… the incidents of the past sometimes being hard to forget. The fact that Inuyasha had taken it upon himself to write such a letter, which truthfully, should fall under his responsibility, showed that he was aware of the duties that befell him in their new roles, and that he respected his older brother enough to tell him the truth, regardless of the consequences.
Inuyasha had not stated more in the letter than merely the facts of what had transpired, bearing explanation for Rin’s delay in returning. He had assured his brother that Rin was unharmed, and that Shippo would recover, but beyond that, no words were given on either seeking or giving comfort. He did apologize, but he did not attempt to spout disillusions of promising such an occurrence would never happen again, when it knowingly should never have been permitted to happen in the first place. He did not state any hopes regarding the future relations between their children, and whether or not Rin would continue to be permitted to visit their village, or even Shippo to the castle, yet Sesshoumaru knew that it was more likely than not a concern on his part. Sesshoumaru knew himself, and he knew that in the past, he would not have hesitated to forbid Rin from ever again being in the company of those who could not properly protect her. However, besides the fact that she was, in truth, an adult by their standards, he also believed, he simply felt it in his youki, that those two were honestly destined for one another. No, he would not attempt to keep them apart. But…perhaps a nice, long talk with the kitsune would be in order, when the pup was well again, of course. It would do no good to literally scare him to death, after all. A strong youki and stronger heart would be needed for that conversation.
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Where was he?
Wherever he was, he was safe and warm, snuggled up within the embrace of somebody familiar. Hmmm, they must be on the hunt again, and Kagome had him cuddled within that sleeping bag thing of hers.
No, wait…that can’t be right.
Yes, he remembered now, the hunts were over. Kagome was mated to Inuyasha, they were his parents…and he didn’t sleep with her any more. That was okay though, he was a big boy, his pride told him, as he puffed out his chest in determination. He didn’t need to cuddle with anyone! Yet…it certainly felt like he was being held within somebody’s embrace…and he guiltily admitted, even if only to himself, that it was a sensation he had desperately missed.
Some may say that Kagome coddled him too much. Some may call him spoiled. But Shippo knew what it was like to face his own hardships…to see his father’s pelt wrapped around the fat belly of his enemy, the scent of blood and death blocking out the rest of the world as he fought to keep from fainting and sharing his father’s fate. Yes, he had seen battle, he had seen death, and he knew, just like any warrior knew, that life could truly be taken away without a moment’s notice.
That was why he willingly clung to childhood the way Kagome had permitted him to do. That was why he wanted to play, to joke, to laugh, to enjoy life. He wasn’t stupid. He knew the mission his adoptive parents and their friends had embarked upon was dangerous, suicidal even, yet they were his family, and he knew his place was at their side. Through it all, they persevered, though the odds had been stacked against them. Now, he had a place to call home once again, the love of parents who protected and taught him, and the friendship of a girl who…
Rin!
Was she okay? She must be okay. He was still alive, and therefore he knew she was okay, because he had sworn that he would die before he permitted that bear to harm her.
The warm body whose arms were wrapped securely around his own suddenly shifted, ever so slightly, but it was the light moan that escaped its owner’s lips that had him blinking his eyes open, taking a moment to adjust to the light of day.
Rin…
It was Rin who held him, and suddenly, as he visualized their positions, he didn’t seem all that smaller than her. She didn’t cling to him like a teddy bear, but rather, his body outstretched nearly half the full length of hers… When did he get so big? Perhaps he had increased his size unconsciously with his kitsune magic? That was possible, right? As it was, she had him positioned up near the head of the futon, beside her, so that though his feet didn’t reach as far down as hers, their heads were at even levels.
“Rin…” he whispered, not even realizing he had spoken aloud until it was too late, as he saw her eyes flutter open to meet his gaze.
“Shippo…” she whispered in relief, not making any indication that she wished to alter their current positions. “Rin is…” She caught herself, having spoken in the third person less and less often with his influence, “I am…glad you’re all right.” she said.
“Stupid…” he hissed, unconsciously behaving quite like his father would in the same situation, trying desperately to conceal his vulnerability with aggression. “Who cares about me?” he whisper/snapped, adding under his breath, “So long as you are okay.”
Well, all right…so he showed a little more compassion than past-Inuyasha. Rin, for her credit, ignored his harsh words, reading the emotions playing before his eyes as easily as though they were words on a page.
“I do…” she answered him finally, having waited so long before uttering the response, that Shippo in turn had forgotten what he’d even asked her.
“You do what?”
“Care…” she answered.
Shippo wasn’t sure if he could trust what he was reading in her eyes then, or if he was merely delusional from his still weakened state. What he did know, was what he felt in his own heart, and so, moving quicker than the blink of an eye, before he lost his nerve, the kitsune sprung his head forward, placing a quick, chaste, embarrassed peck upon her lips.
Heat rushed to his cheeks upon seeing Rin’s own blushing expression, but a part of him sung out that the girl had not moved to get off of the futon after his action. She still remained in the exact same spot, as if stunned, a surprised/embarrassed/happy expression upon her face.
“Me too…” he whispered, after finding his voice.