Crash and Spray

A certain merprince waits every night at the shore for his beloved. And every night Rin comes. One night, Sesshomaru decides it's not enough-and spirits the young girl away into the sea.

Quote:

"Who hath desired the Sea? -- the immense and contemptuous surges?
The shudder, the stumble, the swerve, as the star-stabbing bow-sprit emerges?
The orderly clouds of the Trades, the ridged, roaring sapphire thereunder --
Unheralded cliff-haunting flaws and the headsail's low-volleying thunder --
His Sea in no wonder the same his Sea and the same through each wonder:
His Sea as she rages or stills?
So and no otherwise -- so and no otherwise -- hillmen desire their Hills."

The quiet is deafening.

It isn't silent, though, no, never silent. The waves lap sensuously against the cool sand, rushing and shushing over the silver flecked-golden grains; calm sea breezes whirl through the air, each filling up the space with illusory sound.

Meek and somewhat timid footsteps resound along the tranquil beach, made by pale, slender feet dragging through the pacifist sand, walking a winding path toward the dark, frothing waters. A tentative reach into the emerald sea, and the figure shuffles haltingly in, pausing every few sluggish seconds but never, ever stopping. The layers of the kimono drag behind as they trace into the water, billowing around her flesh before clinging resolutely to her skin. She shudders, but goes on.

She doesn't have long to wait, nor does she have to turn around to confirm the small slashes that have become very evident behind her.

A wet arm encircles the princess' shoulders- a comforting, slithering arm, meant for holding captives and never letting go, for snatching stars right out of the sky- a fluid cage of an arm, warm even through the cold water.

"You're late."

Rin manages a small smile as she's pushed back into a wall of sinew and bone, closing her eyes as she did so.

After the creature fished her out of the sea when she was just a little girl, he always did arrive-long, silver hair trailing gracefully over the rippling tides.

Sesshomaru's whisper doesn't sound remotely angry-or even annoyed. More of a gentle mockery in tone as the waters brushed more firmly against Rin's many layers of fine silk and damask, burying his nose into the small hollow that is her cheek.

Silence, save for the crashing of the waves. Spinning, blurring, trillions upon trillions of drops acting as one-one hundred-one thousand hands….

Finally, Sesshomaru speaks again.

"You are late," he repeats, Rin's soft, chocolate orbs meeting the sharp garnet as the girl awkwardly turns in the water, Sesshomaru's hands still tweed around her small waist.

"Why is that, dearest koi?"

The owner of the arm speaks softly, voice wrapping snake-like around its recipient, coiling tighter and tighter, silky and unsuspected. It is a change of subject as well as a reassurance.

Rin shivers at the sound, able to see through the tone of voice to the deeper meaning, but unable to care about it. He is almost up to his neck in the water now, and leans on Sesshomaru for support and warmth.

The eighteen year old shivers again, before granting a trembling smile at the fish.

"S-Sorry."

Many moons had passed-many, many indeed-since the small girl had first met with the merman in the midnight indigo waters.

And, every day since, he has come back, Sesshomaru was always waiting in the surf. Always there.

Though, truthfully, the girl must ask herself daily, in the innermost corner of his mind-innermost, but quite loud indeed-who kept returning? Rin, who visited the sea every spare moment of her life, or Sesshomaru, the one who always waited?

Rin didn't really know. Truth be told, she'd been long past caring too much anymore.

But today….

Rin stole a glance at the sandy banks of the land, chin pressed against Sesshomaru's shoulder, once again quiet.

This day had been planned out for weeks-in every visit, such a simple act planned out, time and time again-

The smallest detail was perfect now, frozen against their minds. Though what Rin was about to do was irreversible-and, as Sesshomaru warned her, probably quite painful-it was the only act left TO do now.

She glances again at the castle above the bay. Luckily, the guards had been too hung up on sake tonight to notice the girl slip out, as was her wont.

Rin shrugs.

It wasn't as if she was going to exactly NEED the place anymo-

Suddenly, the comforting sand drops from below her, and her last secure and trusted support is gone. The girl yelps in surprise- Sesshomaru has never gone this far before- and flings her arms around the lord, burying her child-like face into the crook of his neck, hiding a faint blush.

Though the girl cannot see it, Sesshomaru is smiling, sweetly and triumphantly, and he wraps his arms around the smaller figure reassuringly. "I'm not going to drop you, little one," he says, still smirking. "I'm just releasing you of your inhibitions. Lean on me, I have you."

And now, though the smile is still kind, there is wickedness in it, too. Sesshomaru knows the power he now has over the girl, revels in it. He won't do anything, however. To him, Rin is tangible innocence- the kind of innocence the merman never had. Rin is pure, and Sesshomaru will do everything in his power to keep that purity untainted.

Rin blinked, looking bewildered before managing a small laugh, in spite of herself.

Sheesh. It wouldn't exactly kill him to give any heads-up, would it?

She gradually relaxes, moving to place her arms back around Sesshomaru's neck, humming contentedly.

Nights such as these are the only times she is able to truly dance, to move in sync with someone else.

Silent, but nonetheless gentle, body moving in a waltz like motion, Sesshomaru cradles Rin close, and gently tugs her into the darker waters.

The demon lord tucks his chin over Rin's head, humming as he fits an arm beneath the shorter's knees, lifting Rin up bridal style.

After awhile, Rin dozed off, feet trailing behind them as Sesshomaru looks up occasionally at the moon and stars, correcting his current route.

The fish loves taking care of Rin, loves it more than anything. It gives him a sense of purpose, a sense of security, of usefulness. Of being able to do something right for once, for being the best at something. No one can take better care of Rin than himself, the Dark lors decides. Not even REAL humans can offer what he does….

Rin needs him, someone who cares, someone who needs him back. The fish smiles at the sleeping girl, heart singing with the knowledge of what was going to take place soon enough.

Finally, the merman slows down, is careful, oh-so-careful, with his delicate bundle before biting his lip.

A tentative finger brushes a warm cheek in a gentle caress, lingering because its owner is loathe to pull away.

"Rin?"

The eyelids flickered. Chocolate met gold once again.

"Mmmm?"

"W-we're here."

Now the fish is trembling. An odd change of pace, Rin thinks.

The Dark Lord's tail is fighting in several long, massive strokes against the tide, staring at the dark, violently shifting waters below.

Here, the king offered to grant his vassal his greatest wish tonight-IF he dropped the girl into the churning, foaming, icy waters of the labyrinth below.

Which Sesshomaru felt he'd rather rip off his own limbs first.

"You don't have to do this," he pleaded, doing the best to quell the aching longing in his chest.

Rin simply blinked again, and, as if in answer, began to pull her body away from the fish-straight to the depths below.

Sesshomaru's grip simply tightened.

"Rin-please! I-I've changed my mind-don't do this. Not for me."

The girl paused in his silent attempts to free himself, gave up when she saw it was futile, and looked at the man skeptically.

"Wherever you go, I'll follow. I thought we clarified that already."

Sesshomaru simply shook his head, grip become so tight it was painful. He shook Rin, eyes imploring.

"You don't understand. It'll hurt you! And you shouldn't give up your humanity just because I want you-"

"So you DO want me to become….like you?"

Sesshomaru had to mentally slap himself. He grasped Rin's shoulders, already thinking of simply taking the protesting girl back to shore.

"One day, a priest came down to a man while he was fishing, and asked, furiously, 'What do you think you're doing? You're killing God's creatures!' The fisherman just smiled, and said, 'Killing? No, no, you don't understand! I'm saving them! There are so many fish under the water, and they can't breathe! I'm taking the fish out so I can save them! But,' the man said as he gestured sadly to the dead fish already lying on the beach, 'though I try my best to pull them out, they are usually already dead by the time I rescue them.'

"The priest nodded sagely, his mistake corrected. He patted the fisherman on the back, commending him, and walked back to the village to tell of the brave young man who tried so valiantly to save the fish from drowning."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed.

"Do not try to deny it-you ARE afraid. And don't let me justify what I'm doing and call it heroism."

Rin's skin seemed to turn even more pale as something sparked in his orbs.

"I'd be more afraid if you took me back," he said softly, awkwardly raising a hand to cup Sesshomaru's damp cheek.

"I AM afraid, Sesshomaru-sama. But the fear isn't as big as you think."

Rin pressed her head against Sesshomaru's still shoulder, paused, and then turned to face the stunned merman again before the fish dipped his head. Rin raised her own head, and turned slightly so Sesshomaru's lips could greet her own-an act he more than happily accepted.

The kiss-like their others-allowed Sesshomaru to hungrily devour Rin's lips, while Rin's hands slipped around the mermaid's somewhat scaly back to bury themselves in the mother-of-pearl spikes, so much erratic then his own….

Much to the dark lord's discontent, however, Rin broke the kiss, and turned to face him. The hybrid growled, and attempted to reengage it, but Rin simply put a finger on his lips.

He sighed, eyes sparkling.

"Will you give up your home…give up your legs, and live…together…with me?"

The merman's eyes are so clear, so earnest, hopeful…loving, so passionate, more passionate than he has ever been about anything.

And Rin smiles, smiles through the salty tears that are now mixing with the equally salty ocean, and nods, simply nods, because the words he needs are far, far beyond his reach.

And that is enough for the dark soul.

Sesshomaru clenches Rin's wrists, and begins to carefully lower him into the shady, turbulent waters, bends his head down, whispering softly to Rin. "Sleep… deeply… and dream… sweetly."

The girl just grants him a bleary smile, as the seconds rush by-

And Sesshomaru relinquishes his grasp on Rin-if just for now.

Rin shoots a hopeful smile and a half wave before the sea swallows her-

And the entire sea erupted into white, blinding light in a shower of sparks.

Sesshomaru simply smiles, before ducking below the midnight foam.

And grasped the somewhat uncertain mermaid kicking at the water like a newborn before pushing you down into the depths of the sea.