HOLY SHIT THIS IS SO LATE I AM SO SORRY

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I hope you guys like this! I do work on these, a little bit each night. I am dealing with my anxiety as best I can and doing my damndest to not let it interfere with my writing!

Enjoy!

Warm water sloshed around the pale legs and arms, her fingers pulling the water through the slim digits.

It had felt like forever since she had given herself an hour for a nice relaxing bath, though the last few times, she had had a dog demon nipping and kissing fervently at her throat and chest, making them anything but relaxing.

Not that she could relax now.

Her head leaned back against the rim of the bathtub, the first in what promised to be many of deep sighs expelling her lips.

For the past week she had done nothing but run around, trying to keep their houseguest comfortable and healthy. For the past week, all her hard work had undergone great scrutiny and subtle criticism.

For a week she barely felt comfortable in her own home.

It was odd, she supposed, that she was now beginning to think of this place as her home. She wondered when it had started to happen, when she started to make herself comfortable, when she started to consider this place as hers.

When she started to call this place home.

The thought made her happy.

She hadn't had a place to call home since the untimely death of her parents, and it made her feel whole again.

But now someone was telling her she shouldn't think that.

Rin felt her stomach knot at the thought, that she might loose another home and another family. This time, it was intentional rather than accidental.

She wanted to defend herself, wanted to tell the woman to leave her alone.

Leave Sesshomaru alone.

Rin sunk even lower in the tub, an impressive feat given her size and the size and depth of the tub.

Everything was so confusing and hectic… she just needed a minute to herself.

She just needed a minute to breathe.

She loved Sesshomaru, dearly. But his mother…

It seemed she had every intention in driving Rin up the wall. Her pillow was too soft, her mattress was too hard, the food was too cold then too hot, to soft and too chewy. There was too much salt, too fattening, to high calorie. One nurse was too strict while the next was too 'friendly'.

And on more than one occasion, the woman acted like Rin was continually trying to kill the elder demon, screeching about how the soup was too salty or the chicken was too fatty or the sauce was too rich.

If this kept up Rin felt she was going too.

Her head sank below the water, bubbles slipping from her open lips as she let her dark hair swirl around her face and collarbone.

She wished it could always be this still. This quiet.

Originally she would have considered this life dull, her only keeping the house clean and making meals and almost everything else she was doing as a maid.

But, in some small way, it made her happy.

It wasn't as though she wasn't intelligent, her degree in Primary Education with a specialization of Special Needs Children was enough to say that.

She just liked the break.

It was nice.

Sesshomaru never told her or treated her as though she was stupid. They had intellectual conversations, debates on politics and books they read.

He treated her like she was his equal.

It was so much different from the stories others told her about him.

She smiled quietly in the water, knowing that, no matter how many people told her, she was not responsible for his change.

Change needed to be accepted to be useful; he had to want to.

He had to want to change. Maybe for her if she let herself be vain for a moment, but he still had to want to.

Now only if his mother could…

Frustration returned as the young woman thought about the reason she was currently swimming in the bathtub and not trying to enjoy Sesshomaru's rather exciting company. Sipping the glass of wine that happily sat next to her, Rin wondered just how much more of her patience was going to be tested by the demon's mother.

"Rin?"

A soft knock emanated from the door, her eyes looking towards where the demon stood.

"Come in," she murmured, hating that a part of her didn't want to say yes.

The young woman sighed as the demon quietly let himself in, her head deliberately turning away from him.

"Rin?"

"Yeah?" the young woman asked, her temper and frustrations kept calm.

"Dare I ask how you are?" Sesshomaru asked, his eyebrow raised as he shut the door behind him.

"That should be obvious," Rin murmured, hating how her irritability was seeping out of her like the heat from the water.

Nodding, the demon looked over the parts of her body that the water could reveal, his lungs drinking in the calming scent and warmth.

"Your mother's in bed for the night," she told him, her stomach twisting as she sounded like his employee once again, "but if she hasn't already, she'll be 'informing' you that I poisoned her with salt… again."

"Sorry about that," Sesshomaru murmured, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and cuffs, the sleeves kept loose, "anything I can do to help?"

"I'll be okay," Rin sighed, "nothing a glass of wine and a hot soak can't fix."

The young woman leaned back against the tub, her eyes closing as her shoulders sagged slightly while the intense amber eyes roamed her pale collarbone and open lips. Brown met gold as the young woman turned to look at him.

"What?" she asked, a small smile pulling on her lips, her body shifting slightly in the tub.

"Nothing," the demon murmured, "watching you is relaxing is all."

"I see," Rin sighed, "it's better in here…"

"Are you inviting me in?" Sesshomaru teased, his arms resting on the tub as he leaned towards her, his head tilting as he came closer to her smiling lips, Rin's own lips moving towards his.

Her finger got there first.

"Not after what your mother said," the young woman whispered, her hand pushing his head away as she nestled in the corner of the bathtub, much to the demon's dismay.

"Must you be so cruel?" Sesshomaru murmured, his body leaning back with his arm against the edge of the tub, his fingers skimming the warm, bubbly water that mercilessly concealed the body he was desperate to feel.

"Only when I've had a hard day," Rin told him smartly, her fingers reaching for the glass of wine she had poured herself, "and your mother is making my days very hard."

"Try being her son," the demon muttered, "this is worse then when she thought I lost my virginity."

"Worse?" the young woman now looked to him with a curious smile, "how is this worse?"

"When she thought I lost it as a teenager she hounded my every move when I was at home, but at least I had school to escape too," he grumbled, "and I didn't live with my girlfriend at the time."

"I don't think a little abstinence is going to kill you," Rin murmured, "it didn't with your brother."

"No, but I nearly killed him," Sesshomaru commented, "still can't believe he pulled that stunt."

"Are you worried your mother will do the same?" the young woman smiled, "do I need to start hiding my pills in a safe?"

"That would make me feel better," the demon sighed, "though I think even on them we won't have much time…"

"If it means she's starting to get back on her feet-"

"Or send her assistant when she can't," Sesshomaru told her, "at least she's earning her paycheck."

"The poor woman," Rin murmured.

As hard as she was having it, Rin had more of a chance of talking back than the assistant that was paid to keep her mouth shut.

Poor Anna.

"Regardless, I can tell she's been driving you nuts," his head tilted, "I can intervene-"

"And have her think I can't take care of myself? Again?" Rin asked, "no thank you…"

At this the dog demon remained silent, knowing Rin, despite her gentle smile, also had her pride.

No mater how much he wished to help her.

"Do you want me to have her leave?"

Rin stilled at the question, her heart sinking as a part of her just wanted to say yes.

"You're all she has left," the young woman murmured, "it's not fair to her," her head lolled against the lip of the bathtub, "but… I just can't take her…" hands flailed in the air as she struggled to find the right words.

"Personality," the demon finished for her, a saddened expression crossing her face.

"I know she's sick…" Rin sighed, her fingers making figure-eights in the water in an attempt to distract herself, "but… does she need to be so…"

"Bitchy?"

Her fist smacked his upper arm, the demon smirking slightly while she sighed.

"She's-"

"My mother; as you keep saying," Sesshomaru finished, "but do you see now why the word family doesn't mean the same to me?"

"Slowly, yes," Rin reluctantly agreed, a sick feeling churning in her stomach at the thought of their future.

Of their family.

Would they ever have one? Her eyes glanced to the demon, the tips of his fingers skimming across the top of the water, wondering if he wanted one.

Wanted a half-demon…

She'd admit to thinking about it more than once; what a half-demon baby would look like. Since she'd only met one she had to rely on Izayoi's descriptions of InuYasha's infant years and even then, Rin wondered how varied it could be.

There were stories Izayoi told her of how some half demons take after the demon rather than the human, meaning the children could look monstrous, and there was no way to tell which direction the baby would take until after the first trimester.

Would Sesshomaru still care for it if it wasn't what he pictured?

His mother was very much like him in both appearance and mannerisms. They both liked everything a particular way, often their way, and held immense pride in both themselves and the job they do. Even now, as InuKimi was recovering, she insisted on having control over her magazine and fashion.

It was something Sesshomaru had, back when she was a maid.

They could both be haughty and aloof when it suited them, though it suited Sesshomaru less and less nowadays, and they were extremely selective about the company they kept.

"You two are very much alike," Rin said aloud, looking for something to lighten the gloomy mood, "I'm surprised you two don't spend that much time together."

"My mother was never… how can I put this… nurturing?" Sesshomaru murmured after a moment, "she was there for me when I needed it as a child, but she preferred that I solved problems myself."

"I thought you lived with your father as a child?" the young woman asked, her arms folding on the lip of the tub.

"My mother was the one who raised me," the demon explained quietly, "though my father had me for weekends and holidays, ultimately it her that provided everything for me."

Rin kept quiet as Sesshomaru tried to collect his thoughts, his lungs inhaling deeply before he pressed on.

"Mainly I stayed in boarding schools," Sesshomaru shrugged, "but when I was around her, she was very bitter; the separation bruised her pride."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Rin teased quietly, the demon smirking quietly at the comment.

"I know… as you said, I'm more like my mother than my father," he admitted, "no matter how much I wish the opposite was true, I can't change that…."

The demon shook his head free of his thoughts before he refocused on their original conversation.

"Regardless, she would say nothing good of Izayoi and less so of my father and younger brother," Sesshomaru murmured, "and I believed her."

Rin processed what he told her, her eyes watching his, the demon waiting for her opinion on the matter, his fingers deciding to fiddle with the water.

"Is that the reason you hated humans so much?" Rin asked, figuring the answer herself.

Amber met brown, the demon seemingly studying her as though he were trying to gauge what her reaction would be to his answer.

"Part of it," he admitted, "the hate was already there, she just help to grow it."

Rin said nothing to his soft confession, knowing it took a great deal of effort for him to admit such an unattractive thing about himself.

"Has it changed?"

Sesshomaru paused as he turned around, the young woman seemingly nervous now as she picked at her nails.

"Your idea of family," Rin murmured, "has it changed at all?"

The demon sucked in a calming breath as he feet returned to the side of the bath, his eyes looking down to the young woman that was sitting almost innocently, her knees peeking out of the water and her cheek decided to rest on them, her back arching to expose the shoulders blades and spine out of the water.

"Thanks to you, yes."

Rin remained patient with him as he formed his thoughts, something the demon never seemed to need to do. He was always so smooth, so well spoken, so knowledgeable about everything.

And here he was, trying to sort out facts and emotions.

Then again, he was never the type of man to deal with emotions. Even now there were things he'd rather bottle up than tell her, something she was learning how to understand.

Still… it made the times he did admit his feelings all that much more meaningful to her, knowing that she was the person he wanted to share his innermost thoughts with.

"Oh?" she teased lightly, "how can I be so sure of that?"

"I let my little brother, someone I claimed to loathe, stay under the same roof as me, all because you encouraged me too," the demon reminded her softly, "have I not changed at all in your eyes?"

Rin sighed softly as she turned to look down to the bath, her hands swirling in the water, mixing the bubbles with the liquid as she mulled over his question.

She was sure the demon half expected her to immediately say yes, and a part of her wanted too. But another part of her…

There had to be something in him that encouraged him to hire a human in the first place. His father couldn't be the man he was and have a son as cold as Sesshomaru claimed.

Sesshomaru couldn't have had all his heart taken out of him before her.

"What are you thinking about?"

The deep voice was closer than she anticipated, her heart stopping for a minute as she flinched, her head whipping around to look the demon in the eye.

"Thought you always knew what others were thinking," Rin teased quietly, "part of being a smart businessman?"

"Usually I can," the demon murmured, "but with you… it's tricky…"

"Oh?" the young woman smiled cheekily, "am I your enigma."

"That you are," Sesshomaru tried anew to lean towards her, "that, and more."

This time, Rin let him come close.

Her lips met his, her hand lifting up out of the water to cup his marked cheeks, water left on the smooth flesh as her thumb rubbed his cheekbone.

"What are you doing to me?" he whispered quietly, his face still close to hers.

"Only good things… I hope," she laughed lightly, her eyes studying his.

"You are the best thing to happen to me," Sesshomaru re-affirmed, "so all you bring me is good."

Warmed by the compliment, Rin slowly caved to the demon's silent demands, his mouth returning to hers, his tongue running over her lower lip.

She wanted to hold out longer; to torture him for just a moment more.

But damned if she didn't want him too.

Her mouth opened for him, the demon's long fingers slipping around her cheeks and jaw, tilting and angling her head for the best possible angle for the both of them. The chill of the bathwater cooling on her skin kept her torn, wanting to be in both Sesshomaru's arms and back in the warm water.

Sesshomaru made her decision all the harder, as it was now second nature for him to know the spots that made her moan and melt into a puddle. He knew where to touch, where to move, and how to do it all so effortlessly.

But it worked both ways.

Every time she responded to his touches it would drive his desire for her further. He craved to hear her cries as she craved for his touch.

To think she chose him over everyone else.

He found it fascinating, that someone could be both innocent and experienced in the art of sex. The someone could know what they wanted and what they liked, but still be so honest about what they were feeling.

He felt excitement at the knowledge that she could always surprise him, that he would never truly know every little one of her secrets.

Lips and teeth started to nip and scrape at her neck, one of his hands sliding up and around her thigh while the other slipped over her back to hold her side. Water dripped from her arm as she lifted it out of the bath to dig her fingers in is scalp, her nails scratching at the skin and making him hum gently against her skin.

"Hah… Sesshomaru… ahh…"

Her legs kicked and splashed in the water as Rin adjusted to her lover's touch, her chest beginning to heave and gasp with every inch of skin he covered.

Dark hickeys marked her skin as the demon leaned towards the young woman, his body careful not to fall into the bathtub, as per her request.

His fingers slowly started to slide up the muscle on her thigh, his fingers reaching for her most intimate area.

Rin's own hand joined his, her fingers covering the demon's as he teased her, his hands moving around, but never touching, the part that could bring them both so much pleasure. Her head leaned back, mouth open as she panted softly.

I had been too long.

She silently encouraged his lips back to hers, the two moaning at the taste.

With one hand clutching his white shirt, Rin felt the other dip closer to her opening, excitement building at what was to come.

"Sesshomaru."

Rin really wished the woman knew how to knock.

Gasping in embarrassment, Rin clasped her arms around her chest and tried to sink below the water, Sesshomaru pulling back, unable to avoid getting wet.

"Mother," Sesshomaru started, clearly perturbed by Rin's embarrassment and his mother's arrival at what was supposed to be an intimate time, "what can I do for you?"

"I can't seem to get my shower working."

Both young adults remained still at the simplistic request, Sesshomaru feeling his jaw tense while Rin felt her embarrassment rise, forgetting how sensitive the dog demon's ears truly were.

"Anna can't help you?" Sesshomaru asked calmly, his body standing from the young woman that was seemingly trying to disappear into the water.

"I dismissed her for the night," InuKimi explained, "she wanted to go out to some trendy little night club. I told her it was okay."

Sesshomaru's lips were still in a thin, tight line, the young woman in the bath wanting desperately to sink into the bath, never to rise again.

"I'll see what I can do," her son sighed deeply, his body standing to guide his mother out of the bathroom and away from the embarrassed young woman.

"Thank you," the demon nodded curtly, her eyes turning to Rin, "have a nice night Rin."

"And to you," Rin manage to squeak out, her eyes remaining fixed on the water in front of her.

The two remained petrified in place, Sesshomaru feeling embarrassed about sex for the first time in his life.

"You uh… you might want to see to that," the young woman whispered hoarsely, Sesshomaru, for once, grateful of her need to fill the silence.

"Right," he muttered, grunting as he stood, his hands trying to dry off the water from his shirt, "I'll… let you finish your bath."

"Thanks," Rin nodded, the relaxation and enjoyment she felt not a moment ago now entirely gone, impossible to retrieve for the rest of the night.

Sesshomaru wanted to groan and, had his mother's ears not been as sensitive as they were, he would have.

After so long, he was so close…

He felt like his brother was visiting all over again.

Except this time, he could be told off and made to feel inadequate.

Again.

His walk down the hall was one of the longest he had ever taken, his origin much more appealing than his destination.

He found his elder in the bathroom, her body wrapped in the plush white robe she had brought with her from Paris or some other fashion capital.

"Alright mother," Sesshomaru did his best to keep a calm tone, lest he be lectured about it like he was as a child, "what do you need?"

"Nothing."

At this the demon stilled, his eyes looking down at the woman who was preparing for her bath.

"I figured it out while you made me wait," she told him, "you can finish what you started."

Sesshomaru wanted to snap.

Of course she damn well knew what she was doing. His mother was far from a fool, and her distain for Rin wasn't hidden.

"How generous," Sesshomaru grumbled, "I'm glad I could be of some help."

"Perhaps you could get more work done quicker if you were not distracted by frivolities," the woman told him, "and your mannerisms have changed."

"Oh?" the demon challenged, his eyes narrowing.

"You mumble so often now," his mother continued, "I though you were taught to enunciate."

"Around those I work with always," Sesshomaru countered, "but in my own home-"

"Good manners should be practiced at all times should they become second nature," InuKimi reverted to her mothering phrases, the demon feeling his body tense at her condescending attitude.

"I'll remember that," the demon chose to avoid a fight, "good night, mother."

"And do stop grinding your teeth Sesshomaru! You're going to give yourself a broken tooth!"

"That'll be the least of my worries," the demon muttered as he returned to the hall, uncaring as to whether or not his mother heard him.

With the colour Rin went, he'd be stupid to even consider continuing let alone propose they'd continue their little escapade.

Besides, his mother seemed to want another opportunity to interrupt them.

Entering his bedroom, Sesshomaru saw the young woman, now out of the bath and dried off, preparing for the night.

"I'm… gonna go to bed," Rin mumbled, her body wrapped tightly in her pajamas, her cheeks still bright red, "e… everything sorted out?"

"By herself yes," Sesshomaru nodded, watching as she moved to slip under the sheets, her head nodding before she curled up into a small ball, her back turned to his side.

"That's good," the young woman nodded, "goodnight."

Sesshomaru wanted to crack his head against the wall, half of him wanting to barricade the door and take the young woman in his arms, and the other half wanting to climb into bed and join her in sleep.

His exhaustion won him over.

The demon was quick to change, his body sliding next to hers under the covers.

For the first time, he felt unsure of whether to slip his arms around her, to pull her close and let her scent overtake his dreams. Now, her back was to him, and she seemed to want time to shake off the embarrassing night.

He would let her.

But not without something for the night.

"Goodnight, Rin," the demon murmured, his lips reaching to press against her cheek.

Surprised by the gentle gesture, the young woman looked back at him, the demon's eye gentle as he rested his head on his pillow, letting her come to him if she felt comfortable.

For now, the young woman decided, her humiliation was too great.

For now, it would be just their hands.

And for now, that was enough.

So? I'm doing my best to try and not make these updates so long

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