Giving In

It had been weeks since Rin had been permitted to entertain her Lord and she was becoming more and more irritated with the situation. She had only just begun to make a little headway and then suddenly he was avoiding her at all costs. Lord Sesshoumaru was also the only 'companion' she had here in the west and she was becoming quite melancholy in his absence. She was lonely.

But, the more she persisted and pursued him, the more he avoided her. He wouldn't even acknowledge her if she passed him in the hallway, or out on the grounds. He had also refused to allow her to eat meals with him or enter his throne room for entertainment; which Rin found very odd because she knew that he secretly enjoyed her fan dancing. She had caught the Demon Lord stealing quick glances at her on more than one occasion.

She had spent many a night sitting in her room in contemplation on his sudden revert back to his old ways. But, she just couldn't figure out the cause.

'Had what I said to him really upset him? He didn't seem upset... He seemed... Captivated... Did I misread him? Maybe I've lost my touch...'

She had gone through extensive training to make it as a Geiko; In fact, the training of a Geiko never really ended. She was always studying or practicing something in her spare time. She had been trained, not only as an entertainer and artist but also in the ways of men and attraction.

She had also been thoroughly briefed on all of the information about Sesshoumaru that his Father had to offer. Sesshoumaru didn't know this but, she had known all along which buttons and nerves to strike to get his attention. If the information she was given was indeed accurate, she couldn't see where she had gone wrong. She had played every card in her hand at exactly the right moment.

'And it worked... For a moment... But, only for that one moment...'

What was even more upsetting to the young Geiko was that it didn't just irritate her that she was being rejected. True, this had begun because Toga had paid off all of her debts and she was now a free woman because of him. And he hadn't even requested to be her danna. All he wanted in return was that she woo his son so that he would no longer be alone. But, this was never a game to her. She had hoped to find love in the mighty Demon Lord and she had. Her heart hurt from his absence and she missed him terribly.

This knowledge upset her as well. 'When did I fall for him? How did that even happen? We've had one conversation since I've been here...' But, even thinking these thoughts she knew, in the back of her mind, that words were not everything and they certainly were not Sesshoumaru-sama's forte. It was more like... A feeling she got when she was with him. Like, somehow, they were connected. Like they had always been connected. It was strange and unearthly and exciting and terrifying. 'I just wish he'd at least let me sit with him again...' She felt safe and at home within his presence. Being without him was making her exceedingly uneasy.

It was dark, the full moon the only light on the grounds at this late hour. The air was cool and dewy, everything around her was still and quiet. It was becoming harder and harder for Rin to sleep the past few nights and she had completely given up this night. She wore a thin, black yukata and bare feet. Her hair fanned out behind her as she lay in the grass, staring up at the moon.

Rin sighed heavily and closed her eyes for a moment. Perhaps she could sleep here, in the grass. She giggled at this ludicrous thought.

"What is funny now?" A deep and beautiful voice crashed through her silent night, bringing her from her private thoughts. Butterflies filled her stomach and her heart swelled at the sound.

Rin opened her eyes and smiled up at her lord. "I was just thinking I might have better luck sleeping out here. It's much more comfortable." She tilted her head slightly back, looking up at him upside down as she giggled again.

Sesshoumaru had his hands behind his back, his mokomoko was curling around his feet, the very tip was twitching toward the woman on the ground, his inner demon desperate to touch her. His face remained impassive and stoic as usual as he watched the strange human, barely clothed, laying in the grass and dirt. "You are a strange human..."

"Hn..." She retorted in a very decent impression of himself.

Sesshoumaru cocked a brow at her retort. "Rubbing off on you, am I? I doubt, highly, that I have more to say than you this night. Are you not upset with me for avoiding you?"

We should definitely rub her...

'Quiet!'

"Hn..." Rin hummed, smiling adoringly up at him.

"So... You have nothing to say to me then? No inquiries, no chides, or need of my attention?"

She should have ALL of our attention!

'...'

"Hn..." She hummed again before sighing and looking away from him, the smirk fading from her lips as she stared back up at the moon.

"I see.." He said quietly, a little crestfallen.

"Hn..." She retorted again.

Sesshoumaru could hear his inner yokai laughing at him. He had to fight back a growl.

Haha... She wins again, Great Lord!

He suddenly found himself compelled to be close to her. To his immense annoyance, he sat, right on the ground next to the scantily dressed human woman. His silk clad knee leaning gently against her barely covered outer thigh. He stared, slightly wide-eyed at the contact, the tingly sensation this small amount of touching gave him shocking him to his core.

Rin was shocked and also amused but, at the moment she was refusing him attention so she kept her face as blank as she could and simply lay there, staring at the moon. Her eyes also widened slightly at the feel of their legs touching but, when he didn't move away from her, she relaxed again.

Sesshoumaru sensed she was purposely ignoring him now and took the time to examine her properly. His golden eyes started at her bare feet, trailing his gaze up her legs, taking a moment to relish in the sight of his knee pressed against her thigh, up her curved hips, her slender arms were crossed lazily over her chest, up to her chin, her pink lips were slightly parted, her chestnut eyes, which were now staring back at him and were slightly wide.

Sesshoumaru stopped breathing altogether. He hadn't even noticed the woman's attention redirect toward him. He was so caught up in the sight of her and the feeling of their legs touching, he had lost himself for a moment. He stared back at her, though, his face masked from her analytic and slightly shocked stare.

"Hn..." Rin mused again, pulling herself up and leaning on her elbows to observe him more closely. Their faces only a few heads length apart now. Suddenly she smiled, her features mischievous.

"Cease your game, human." He said, his tone annoyed now.

Rin rolled her eyes dramatically at him before rolling onto her side and refusing to look at him. Rin sighed and closed her eyes. 'Yes... I could definitely sleep here now...'

Sesshoumaru growled at her, not liking the sudden distance she had put between them. "You will not turn your back on your lord!"

Rin sighed again, much too tired to play this game with him any longer. She stood, standing over him, her eyes fierce with determination, her hands on her hips.

Half expecting another row, Sesshoumaru stood as well, towering over her in all his massive and intimidating glory.

"Fine," Rin said, submitting to his request but, grabbing his large clawed hand in her small human one and pulling him with her as she walked them back into the Shiro and down the corridor towards her bedchamber.

Sesshoumaru snarled at her touch but did not pull away. "Where are we going, human?"

"I am tired. And, my name is Rin, Sesshoumaru-sama. It would be nice if you could at least remember my name." She snapped as she stifled a yawn.

He growled again and grumbled, "Your name is irrelevant."

Rin ignored this as she opened her shoji and pulled him inside her dimly lit room. She let his hand fall and shut the shoji shut behind them before plopping down on her futon and looking up at him expectantly.

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment before taking in his surroundings. There were discarded kimono layers draped over most of the room, piles of books and scrolls littered the floor near her futon and there were combs and jewels strewn half-hazard here and there. "You are a messy human." He decided, glancing at her before sitting stiffly at the end of her futon, his back turned to her as he continued to survey her room.

"Hai..." She said, looking around her room with a smile, not caring at all what he thought about her being messy. "I get distracted is all..." She added before laying on her stomach right next to him. She leaned her head against the palm of her hand as she stared up at him. "I am happy you have come to your senses and have decided to stop avoiding me."

Sesshoumaru blinked at her a few times before narrowing his eyes and growling. "Insolent girl..."

"Hai..." She agreed with a smile.

Sesshoumaru sighed heavily and fell backward on her futon, the will to argue leaving him completely. He stared at the shadows on her ceiling being cast by the flickering candle light, as he listened to her heart beat and breathed in the smell of spring. The scent that he'd been avoiding for many moons totally enveloping him now, setting his insides on fire.

Rin crawled over to him, hovering now over his face. His golden eyes locked with hers and for a moment his mask disappeared. "Your bed is oddly comfortable..." He said quietly, almost whispering to her.

Rin noded silently, a smirk on her lips before she curled up next to him, her back pressed against his side. "I've missed you too..." She whispered before she finally fell asleep.

Sesshoumaru stared deadpanned at the flickering ceiling. 'How did she know I'd missed her? I never said anything of the sort...' He had a sudden urge to flee, and tried to but in his dazed moment of weakness mokomoko had wrapped itself around the girl's waist and refused to let go of her. When he tried to pull away and stand, it only pulled her further into his side, almost onto his chest. Sesshoumaru stared wide-eyed at the girl curled up so close to him, shivers trailing down his spine, making his heart pound painfully in his chest.

'Does she not sense danger? This is like... Like a mouse cuddled up to a cat...'

How could she sense what does not exist? We would never harm our mate!

'You cannot lay claim to a human! I forbid it!'

Haha... You can moan and complain and whine all you like, Great Lord... It makes no difference to me. She is the one.

Sesshoumaru growled at his inner yokai, causing Rin to stir. She turned in her sleep, using his chest as a pillow now. Her arms wrapped around him possessively and she buried her face into the crook of his neck, her soft wafts of breath sending shivers down his spine.

Sesshoumaru gasped at the sudden closeness of the human woman. His eyes wide and slightly pink. He didn't know what to do, he stiffened at the feeling of her arms moving around him, tried desperately to ignore her breathing against his neck, but the shivers down his spine were enough to undo him completely.

'The sensations this human causes me to feel are too much, release her immediately!'

Hn... I shan't... WE like it here. His inner demon replied as mokomoko tightened its hold around Rin's waist.

Sesshoumaru growled at himself again, the vibrations rumbling up between their bodies.

Rin pulled him closer, nuzzling into his neck. "My Lord, I am trying to sleep. Can you deal with your internal struggles in the morning?" She whispered into a pointed ear.

Sesshoumaru stiffened again, his very essence froze with him, causing more growls to rumble up between them.

Rin suppressed a laugh as she licked the space just beneath his ear before nibbling the delicate flesh of his lobe.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, a purr-like sound rumbled up between them at her conduct. It was becoming harder and harder to stay in control now. "Rin..." Sesshoumaru pleaded with her, a clawed hand now pressed unconsciously against the small of her back.

Rin stopped her ministrations immediately and laid back down on his chest and closed her eyes. A triumphant smile on her lips.

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes closed as he fought down his inner beast. But, part of him was sorely disappointed that she had ceased her assault on his ear.

'This human has no idea what she does to me...'

Oh, yes she does...

Sesshoumaru blinked at his inner thoughts before looking down at the girl. Her eyes were closed but there was a definite smile on her lips. "What has you amused now, Rin?"

Rin giggled as her name on his tongue hit her ears for a second time. "You called me by my name..."

Sesshoumaru stared down at her as her expression slowly changed from amused to relaxed as she began to drift off again. His own expression softened as he watched her sleep. 'Well... She's not ugly...'

She is beautiful...

'Pft... She is human...'

Irrelevant... She is ours.

Sesshoumaru took a single clawed digit and stroked the length of her cheek.

'She is soft...'

Naturally...

'Hn...'

Two decisions were made between Sesshoumaru and his inner yokai that night. One: He would call the human Geiko by her name. Two: He would never avoid or turn Rin away again. If she wanted his company, he would appease her... And himself.