Hi xD

After almost three months (close) I am back to update this fic. I can't even being to apologize for my lateness and I just hope I can make it up for the long wait with this extra-long chapter.

We have the appearance of a character I love very, very much. I hope you like her in this fic too xD She is by far my favorite character to work with in the entire InuYasha universe.

My biggest thanks to each one of you who favorited, added the fic to the followers and left me a review. I know last chapter was not a favorite to everyone, but I appreciate every tip and every criticism, they make me grow as a person and as a writer. This chapter, sadly, does little to solve the mystery as I decided to focus on Rin, Sesshomaru and Hiraku's feeling in the outcome of this. Hope you like it.

I've just finished this chapter, so you know… I didn't like the earlier version of it, so I changed a lot and I've just finished typing the last sentences… so…

Disclaimer: Takahashi owns InuYasha, I own this plot and the OCs. All brands and places here mentioned are real and I don't own them.

Warning: OOCness.

Happy reading!

PS I'm (still not) over you

V – We can't all be Merida

Heavy, tired and groggy cinnamon eyes fluttered open in the darkened room. Rin's first reaction was to touch the junction of her neck and shoulder in search of two punctures.

A relieved sigh left her lips as she found none.

Thanks God!

Wait!

Did it mean that all that happened last night in the Opening Ball — the astonishing revelation of Sesshomaru being a father in the internet, her boss' weird demeanor, more like an attack,and Sesshomaru biting into her flesh and tearing it open — did not happen in the first place?

Another relieved sigh left her lips.

Very much awake now, Rin tried to sit down, but found something quite heavy pressing her down on the mattress. Running her hands through it, she met Hiraku's straight hair and her eyes instantly softened.

"My baby boy…" she whispered to herself as she caressed his fluffy ear and earned a dissatisfied, tiny growl in response. He did not wake up though.

She muffled a giggle — even asleep he was against anyone touching his ears — and instantly regretted it. Her head hurt, but she would not dare to move even an inch away. Not when Hiraku rested his head against her chest and had a strand of raven hair inside his chubby left fist.

With another sigh, Rin closed her eyes and lured herself to sleep, unaware of the pair of golden eyes watching their interaction intensely in that very room.

When she woke up again, it was a bright new day and there was no sign of Hiraku anywhere. She quickly noticed that that was not the only difference — he was an early riser after all —, but the room in which she was in was greatly different from her small chamber in her apartment. Instead, it was huge, huge and luxurious.

Dread filled her as she thought about being in Sesshomaru's penthouse. However, as she paid close attention to her surroundings, she came to the quick realization there was fusuma and shōji doors everywhere.

She sighed in utter relief. Not that being in his parent's house was that comforting, but at least she was not with him — in his domain. She sat down on the mattress, feeling something wet on her toes. When she looked down, she was faced with yellowish yes.

A cry of utter delight left her lips as she realized it was none other than Un, Sesshomaru's pet dragon.

Not exactly in the form of a dragon. Actually, she had only seen him once in his original body. He was usually either disguised as human — twin humans, A and Un — or dogs. This time, he was a huge, guardian dog.

How many years had passed since she last laid eyes on him? Eight? Something around that, she was sure.

She moved to pet his thick fur when a burning sensation made her stop dead and shift her attention to her neck.

This time, when Rin raised her left hand and ran her fingertips over the junction of her neck and shoulder, she found the two punctures she looked for earlier.

A small cry of frustration escaped her lips.

So, it was not a dream.

Sesshomaru really bit her. He really did it.

She would kill him.

#

A low growl left Sesshomaru's lips as his father threw a stack of newspaper on his face. As if he did not have enough to worry about — an angry Rin was not exactly pleasant, an angry Rin because her picture stamped the newspapers their son would read sooner or later was even less pleasant —, InuTaisho invaded his office and demanded an explanation.

He did not have one.

Not the one his father expected at least.

He threw the stack away. There was no need to reread something he knew by heart.

SCANDAL! HEIR TO THE TAKAHASHI ENTERPRISES RUMORED TO HAVE A SON OUTSIDE WEDLOCK WITH A HUMAN WOMAN.

He closed his eyes.

In the Asashi Shimbun it read.

BREAKING! TAKAHASHI ENTERPRISES' STOCK FALL DOWN FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS MONTH.

And as if his family company was classified as not reliable before by the investors and the director board, what could they say now?

"I could demand some explanations, but I don't think it's necessary," InuTaisho said, his voice icy and firm as he stared down at his son. Sesshomaru stared back with the same intensity, no shadow of regret touched his golden eyes. "But I came to warn you about the Press Conference to be held at 3 p.m. In your place, I would apologize at once. It is, if you are capable of guilty at all."

There was no answer from his oldest. He remained in silence, meditating over his father's words. And there it was… The Press Conference he did not want to face when he had Naraku to deal with.

He simply hated to leave that to InuYasha because he had to play businessman for a day.

The demon tightened his jaw. He should have known what was about to happen when he took Kagura in his arms for a dance — when she threw herself at him. She certainly had something in mind that could only end up badly for him.

Articles on the internet, more like fake blog profiles about celebrities, fired against Rin and in favor of Kagura. Some, in the name of the famous feminist sorority, claimed that he was the problem and the women in his life were totally innocent.

As if… They certainly did not know Kagura.

He could barely wait till he got his claws on her — he would kill her and revive her and kill her all over again. If only Tenseiga could revive someone more than once.

The demon cursed his heirloom. Stupid, useless sword! How he wished he had the powers to revive her as many times as he wished, so he could watch her die painfully one hundred times. No. Better yet: one thousand times.

To watch her die once was not enough.

Sadly, there came the greatest irony of this story. If Naraku wanted her dead, he should — could only — want her alive. She was the key to find the disgusting hanyō again. She was the key to destroy that damned half-breed. And more importantly: she was the key to keep both Rin and his son safe.

He curled his hand into a fist and looked ahead, not bothered in the slightest by the presence of his father still in his office. Later that day, he would pay a visit to Kagura and yank the whole truth from her — from the very beginning: how she joined Naraku and how she had the audacity to expose Rin and Hiraku in that hideous way not even he himself would be capable of.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw InuTaisho approaching him in firm steps and put his clawed hand over his shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"I did not do it, father."

The words left him without his consent, but he could not bear the thought of his father — the man he looked up to his entire life — thinking he had something to do with those ridiculous news. As much as he wanted Rin to say yes to that damned marriage, he would not go so low as to force her into it by exposing their son.

Even he had better morals than that.

"I know…" he replied with a whisper and walked back to the door. As he looked at his son, his golden eyes still hard, but with a hint of leniency, he said, "…that will be the last time I will warn you, Sesshomaru. You either apologize for all your mistakes and start behaving as the astounding administrator I know you to be, or your position shall be given to your brother."

"Never." The voice that emerged from the demon's chest was deep, almost a roar.

"I depends on you."

#

"He is not just a friend."

The moment she feared the most was right there, before her very eyes.

Rin sucked in a breath, stared at her son with a small hint of a smile — one of the nervous kind — and kissed his forehead lovingly; her fingers running over his silvery bangs. She wished she could trim them at least a little, but she learned quite soon it could not be done. His locks would only grow back at the same time.

She had just entered the room in which a maid pointed out he could be found. He was sitting in a zabuton, a book in his lap and A lying down next to him, eyes closed. To any outsider, it would seem the dog was sleeping, but Rin knew better. When Sesshomaru commanded his dragons to watch over someone, they would rather die than leave the mission unfinished.

The only reason why A did not attack was the fact he knew her. Rin ran her fingers over his ears and he let out a croaked sound of delight. She returned her attention back to her son and sighed.

When Hiraku spoke — when the accusatory words left his lips —, he did not raise his golden eyes to look at her. It made a shiver run down her spine. She sat on her heels and wondered if he saw something on the internet or if anyone said anything at all. She did not doubt that was the case.

Honestly, she did not want to have that conversation right now, but if it came to it, then she thought she had not much of a choice.

"Mom."

"He was a friend." She bit her bottom lip. "He is a friend, but he wants to be more than friends. I don't."

That was not the most accurate version, but that would do. For now.

Her eyes went wide when he moved from his zabuton and approached her. To any outsider, it would seem he was up for a hug, or any form of physical contact.

Rin knew better.

However, she did not stop him when he sniffed the air around her — sniffed her; she simply hated those dog traits — and removed her long from his way. Subconsciously, her hand shot to her bandaged neck.

"He hurt you…" His childish voice was full of anger when he spoke.

Apart from the discomfort of being bitten in such rough way, Rin felt a strong headache coming her way.

How was she supposed to explain that to her son?

"I am fine?"

That sounded more like a question than an assertion to her own ears. And if Hiraku were unable to catch the trembling intonation of her voice, he could surely smell her lie.

She sighed.

"I am fine. He didn't hurt me… Much," she offered at least. "Look, I did want it."

And it was getting utterly ridiculous. How could she want nothing more than friendship from him if she let him mark her as only mates did? Granted, it was a temporary mark — she was not much acquainted with inuyokais anymore, but she could differentiate a temporary from a permanent mark and she was very much aware what both meant.

"And he is just a friend?"

"Look, Hiraku…" She sighed. How was she supposed to explain what happened yesterday to her son? What was she supposed to say when she did not even understand why Sesshomaru did it in the first place? "It's more complex than it seems."

It was the most she could say. She did not have anymore in her to tell him the entire truth. Besides that, what could she possibly say? Rin knew it would mean she would have to finally open her heart and explain why she never told him he had a living father and why they were not together.

She was not sure she was ready to give him all the answers.

Hiraku would judge her and she was ready to be judged by all but her own son.

Sesshomaru may have abandoned her — she did not even believe this version anymore —, but if she really wanted to tell him the news, she could have contacted Kagome and told her she was pregnant. Her friend would certainly not mind giving the news in her place.

On the contrary, she would be happy to have a nephew.

"I hate him."

She could very much agree with him and say she hated Sesshomaru too, but it hurt her to see her son harboring such extreme feelings towards his own father.

And there it was… She would have to say Sesshomaru was his father. If he did not have it figured out by now.

She let out another heavy sigh.

Could this day get any worse?

"Hiraku, I am hungry… You have school to go. Can we talk about this later?"

"But mom…"

"What did I say about but mom?"

There was silence between them for a moment as Hiraku closed his book and stared at her with accusatory eyes. She knew he was complying for the moment, but as soon as the day was over, she would have to answer to all of his questions, no matter how difficult they may have been.

Well, she would just have to use the rest of the day in her favor.

#

Sesshomaru hated Press Conferences with every fiber of his being. And honestly, there was a bunch of things he hated dearly. To find something to top all of the others did not seem an accomplishable task before.

It seemed now.

He answered to all of their questions.

There was not even a single one of them that went unanswered. It is, till one of the odious journalists thought they could ask about his upcoming plans concerning his relationship with Rin.

Thousands of questions of the same nature sprung to life. Each bolder than the previous. Declaring the Conference finished, Sesshomaru left the Auditorium with calm and decisive steps; his path down the hallways of the Takahashi Enterprises to the outside world was followed by security guards and meddlesome tabloid reporters who had not been invited to the Press Conference.

He did not know what came over him, but he found himself once again smashing a camera with his bare hands when he found a petite reporter announcing his wedding to Ueno Rin in the upcoming days — a human woman who could not even be telling the truth about Hiraku being his son.

No word left his lips as he walked past her pale figure. Her entire being shook with fear and her hands tightened considerably around the microphone. He barely registered the fact his father was staring back at him with a shake of head. The older Takahashi opened the door of his car and waited for him to enter after him.

His mood darkened at the thought of his almighty and so correct — as if, the only difference between him and the so perfect InuTaisho was the fact his deeds never became public, perhaps because at the time there was no fucking Press Conferences to deal with — father rebuking him for protecting the honor of his — whatever Rin was his.

He just wanted that day to end.

Or at least to be spared of the drama to come and go after Kagura — that bitch had much explaining to do. He could barely wait to be in her presence again, something he rarely enjoyed in the past months.

He mused darkly at how ironic life was. When they were together, he could not stand her presence for more than five minutes. Sex with her was not something he looked for either. It could be amazing in the very beginning, but he grew tired of her easily. And now he would rather be with her than with Rin — not that he would be with Rin alone, something he was always very enthusiastic about — and their son, and his father, and his half-brother, and his sister-in-law and lastly, with his mother.

Of course the so perceptive InuKimi was up with the news. If she did not see it in the newspapers or the television, his father had surely contacted her about now. No matter how much they claimed to hate each other and despise the other's company, they never stood apart for too long and if it meant reuniting to chew Sesshomaru's ears off, they would gladly stand each other for weeks if needed.

And there it was. He probably hated his parents more than he hated Press Conferences.

#

Considering the big fuss on the internet, Rin was relived to find the path to school clear and not even a single soul interrupted them. That, or the fact they were in an armored SUV in the company of a very grumpy toad that did not have to seem a better opinion of her nowadays than he did in the last decade. She rolled her eyes as Jaken called her a ungrateful wench for not recognizing how much his oh-so-perfect Lord cared for her, after all he disposed of his company — if only he knew Sesshomaru would gladly take any opportunity to get rid of him and his horrible presence — and of his two headed dragon for her.

As if she had asked for it in the first place.

As if they were not in this situation because of him.

He only stopped talking when Hiraku hit his forehead with two gravels. Even if Rin reprimanded him for such action — he should absolutely not do that to anyone, it was disrespectful, and he should know better —, she could not help, but look away and bit back the urge to laugh.

She had seen Sesshomaru do that once or twice to the toad and the outcome was always hilarious — and welcomed too, if she were to be honest. At least, Jaken stopped talking and left her alone.

They were close to school, she recognized the Avenue they were now. Honestly, she was relieved to find out Izayoi and InuTaisho agreed with her. Hiraku should go to school. They should act normally. There was no reason for panic. If the situation was any dangerous, it was obvious InuTaisho — and part of her wanted to believe Sesshomaru agreed with him — would not allow them to leave the safety of his manor.

And honestly, they were not even certain she was a target. What Sesshomaru did was completely unnecessary. That put a big and red target on her forehead.

Oh, how she hated him.

Izayoi, on the other hand — Kagome too, what both surprised and disappointed her, she expected more of her feminist friend —, seemed to agree with him. The temporary mark was the best solution. For now.

If it depended on Rin, she would have that removed from her body as soon as possible.

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when the car stopped and Un opened the door for Hiraku to leave. Just for safety, he would stay in the surroundings, watching for any disturbances. Sadly, Jaken would return with her.

"Have a great day, my love."

She planted a soft kiss to Hiraku's cheek and saw him off. At the same time, her mobile phone rang.

"I apologize for any intrusion, Rin-san, but I am afraid my husband and Sesshomaru-san would like to have a word." Her voice was so sweet she could almost feel her smile through the line. "Are you coming back?"

She felt her stomach cool down a little. There was no alternative reality in which she would want to share a room with Sesshomaru as long as he was alive, but she thought she could not escape it forever.

Hiraku's frown deepened as he thought about his mother talking to the mister-I-want-to-be-more-than-friends, but he said nothing. He knew how mad she would be if he said anything right now. And as much as he did not want his mother near that man, he knew he could do nothing to stop it from happening.

Pretend a strong headache or stomach ache was not only bellow him — he was smarter than that —, but he knew his mother would not buy it. She knew him better than anyone. Resigned, he followed his home teacher inside and not even waved his mother goodbye.

"It's okay, Izayoi-sama. I will be back shortly."

We have much to talk about, she thought, resisting the urge to touch her neck. Sesshomaru had much explaining to do, after all.

Blowing a kiss to Hiraku's retreating form, she watched as Jaken closed the door and A drove back to the Takahashi manor.

It would be indeed a long day.

#

Her heart was thundering in her chest when she disembarked from the car and followed Izayoi through the manor. Just like last time, she did not have enough time to appreciate the engawa nor the fully blossomed cherry tree.

Head hung low, she followed the older woman in quiet and resigned steps. It did not take them more than a few turns and less than a few minutes — which in Rin's mind seemed to have passed a couple of hours — for them to reach the small room in which the Lord of the house expected her.

Sesshomaru was sitting with his back to the entrance, to her, and he never seemed so straight before. Even in his seiza position, he seemed impossibly tall. She could not see his face, but basing solely on his body language, she could say he was quite displeased. Angry even.

InuTaisho nodded at her and later flashed a sweet smile to his wife right before she closed the shōji doors and left them alone. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, did not gave her the courtesy of a look as she took a seat in the zabuton next to his.

Not that she expected much of him.

Biting her bottom lip, she got ready for the rebuke of her life, which… did not come. She cast a look at Sesshomaru, but he did not meet her halfway. He was silent, as if in deep meditation — as if getting ready for what was to come.

It made Rin narrow her cinnamon eyes.

What the hell was happening?

InuTaisho turned on the television. And the image that assaulted her vision made Rin's blood boil. Angrily, she dug her nails to her thighs and turned to Sesshomaru.

"What the hell?"

#

In the spare room in the traditional Takahashi manor in Minami-Azabu, one of Tokyo's noblest neighborhood, Sesshomaru and Rin sat side by side, in front of the head of the Takahashi family that showed them for the fourth time the recording from a sensationalist channel in which Hiraku was on the spotlight.

In bold letters it read:

BREAKING! HEIR TO THE TAKAHASHI ENTERPRISES, TAKAHASHI SESSHOMARU, TO MARRY THE MOTHER OF HIS SON, UENO RIN.

The screen was divided in two scenes: in the left side, there was a very frightened Hiraku in the company of InuYasha, Kagome and a couple of security officers — including Un in his humanoid form — and avid reporters in front of his school. In the right side there was Sesshomaru and Rin dancing in the Opening Ball last night.

By her side, the inu daiyokai closed his fist firmly. He hated that scrutiny. He hated how the media thought they could pursue everything and everyone without thinking of the consequences. He simply hated that they thought they could scrimp his family without paying for it.

He hated with passion his father's action. Instead of letting them go to Hiraku's rescue, they were forced to go to the main headquarters of the Takahashi family. He despised the idea of InuYasha, who was no more than his uncle, had to play hero. He recognized, however, that maybe — just maybe — it was for the best. If he showed up with Rin at the school the scandal would be much worse. Right now, InuYasha was best suited to deal with the situation. And the public loved him — something that could not be told about him.

"You will be interviewed by Vanity Fair," InuTaisho stated as he turned off the television.

"But…" Rin swallowed, bit her bottom lip and tried to moisten them. She did not know what to say, she just knew she could not agree with that interview. It would be the end for her. For Hiraku. "Forgive me, InuTaisho-sama, but I…"

"Rin..." Sesshomaru whispered out her name. It was useless. No sensible argument would make his father change his mind. He knew that for a fact.

"My grandson will not be affected by your childish decisions."

"It was not my decision," she contested; her face very much flushed with anger. "I never said I would marry him."

There was a moment of silence. Her hands, closed into tight fists, were over her thighs in the uncomfortable position she found herself into. She spent so many years away, she almost forgot how much she hated seiza position.

She cast a glance at Sesshomaru, but he remained unmoving like a statue.

How she hated him.

How she hated herself for coming back.

For ever thinking she could come back and remain unscathed.

That Hiraku could ever have a happy live in that hateful country.

She hated everything about Japan — and mainly the Takahashi family.

"Neither did he."

Rin found herself gaping and staring at InuTaisho with wide eyes.

"It was not his fault."

Of course it was his fault.

She was quick — very quick — to accuse. To point fingers at him and to let go of her anger. She never thought she could hate him so much. But she did. And she would do everything to be waxing gibbous moon already, so she could yank his eyes from his face with her bare hands.

With her powerful claws.

Rin never wanted to be a demoness so much.

"You two will marry," InuTaisho announced in a voice that gave both of them no room for further discussion. "It does not matter if you will divorce in a year or two, but you will marry."

"You have no objections?" she asked, but Sesshomaru remained in silence. It was as if he knew it all along. As if he expected such decision, which, considering all alternatives, could be pretty much the case.

How she wanted to kill him right now.

"I refuse."

Her answer made both demons stare at her for a moment. Sesshomaru did not change his expression — in fact, it would seem he had schooled himself to look nonchalant from the very moment she stepped into that damned room — and InuTaisho seemed rather bored for a moment.

He expected her to say that all along.

So it was no surprise when the next words left his lips — and even though, she could only stare at him agape and gasp.

"Then you leave me little choice but to contact my lawyers and petition Hiraku's custody."

Rin closed her eyes.

There it was.

The words she expected to hear from Sesshomaru coming from his father's very lips.

She wanted to object. She wanted to say he was wrong. She was the mother, after all and if judges had to choose between a fitting mother — she may have done a bunch of wrong choices throughout her life, but no one could ever say she was an unfit mother — and the grandfather, the answer was very obvious, but she was not talking about just any grandfather. That man was Takahashi InuTaisho, probably the most powerful man of the entire Japan — if not the entire Asia.

"And neither of you will be allowed to see him until I deem otherwise."

No judge would go against his wishes. Not if they wanted to remain in their position.

"Your petty bickering has done enough damage already."

"But I…" she started, but closed her mouth at the same moment. It was useless arguing. InuTaisho was right. The only one to be harmed by that whole story would be Hiraku. The harassment would not stop now that it had started. "Hiraku won't accept it," she murmured quietly.

Yes.

She knew her son would do the impossible to prevent that marriage from taking place. And impossible could imply in weeks without Hiraku even casting a glance at Rin. Perhaps he would never talk to her anymore. The mere idea made her heart sore and little.

Rin could not breathe.

She wanted to kill Sesshomaru. At least spank him to the point there would be no consciousness left in him. The sudden anger and the hateful feelings frightened her, but she could not suppress them. She only knew that, at the moment, she hated him with all her being.

"It's for the best, Rin-san…" InuTaisho said, rising from his zabuton. "And even if you may decide for a divorce in the near future…" It did not go unnoticed by him the reproachful look his eldest son gave him. "At the present moment, that is the best solution."

As she did not reply, he smiled kindly at him — or as kindly as a monster who had just suggested to take her son from her could manage.

"You don't have to give your answer right away. Except for the interview of course."

Except for the fact that you have no choice, of course. She wanted to say, but venomous words had never been in her. She would never hurt anyone so carelessly. She would never hurt anyone. Period.

It was not in her nature.

Perhaps that's why she was the only who got hurt in the end.

She wore her heart in a sleeve, Lady Kaede, the old woman who had raised her as if she were her own daughter, once said. It was a good thing, according to her. To Rin, it was a disgrace.

If the years taught her something, is that people who wore their fucking hearts in a sleeve always got them shattered to pieces.

"I will leave you alone now."

Finally, Sesshomaru shifted his attention to her. His face devoid of any emotion. If he could feel any at all. His eyes were lost in a point over her head, as if he thought seriously about some topic that did not concern them or the space in which they were into.

"Rin..."

"It's all your fault."

There was no answer from his part. He merely closed his lips in a firm line.

If she were the one who wore her heart in her sleeve, Sesshomaru was the one who did not have a heart at all.

"I hate you."

#

For a moment, only a brief moment, Rin thought that the worst had passed and that that horrible day could never — not ever — get worse.

How wrong she was.

As soon as they left the room and entered the living room in which the entire family was reunited — except for Hiraku who was having a late lunch in in the company of Kagome —, they found themselves in the haughty company of a beautiful demoness.

Even in her diminutive stance, she emanated power and confidence, as if no being alive could ever come closer to her awesomeness. Arrogant. Just like Sesshomaru.

"Mother," he said, standing between the demoness and Rin; if his mother decided to attack, he would be ready to protect her.

InuKimi merely laughed. So loud and so hard, her head fell backwards, her silvery locks dancing hypnotically to the movement. Rin could not help but observe how alike they were — if she thought he were alike his father, she now knew it was because she did not know his mother —, from his golden eyes, to the silvery hair, the haughty posture. Takahashi Sesshomaru was the living copy of his mother, Takahashi InuKimi.

"So… I am a grandmother and no one here bothered to tell me?"

There was no answer to her question. InuKimi snapped her tongue and rose from the sofa, walking towards her son. Sesshomaru stood still as his mother touched the lapels of his blazer and put it in place. He knew what she was doing and it had nothing to do with his clothes.

He narrowed his eyes.

"Where is the half-breed?"

"InuKimi, be reasonable, please…" InuTaisho pleaded; his voice had a hint of warning. "Apologize to Rin."

"Apologize for calling a half-breed a half-breed? Does it hurt that much to hear the truth?"

This time, the answer came faster as a lightening. Rin stepped away from Sesshomaru's back and replied, her voice sharp, "It doesn't, but it's not polite, either. A woman of your class should know better."

There was sepulchral silence for a moment in the living room, but soon it was filled with InuKimi's deliciously loud laughs. Her golden eyes landed on the petite figure, analyzing her critically.

"Then you are the mother of…" she paused for a moment, as if looking for the right words. "my grandson."

"I have a name."

"You are too skinny," InuKimi retorted, touching a raven lock and bringing it to her nose. She inhaled its smell for a second.

"Mother." Sesshomaru's voice was more than an entire warning. In a half step, he approached her and moved her away from Rin; his hand wrapping around her wrist in an iron grip. He would not let her escape. "Let's talk."

#

The silence was unbearable in the study of the Takahashi manor. InuKimi, out of sheer curiosity, touched the books in the shelf. The tomes of ancient history, their history, the inu daiyokais, were all gone, giving way to modernist and postmodernist novels and non-fiction.

She drew in a sharp breath.

Oh, how she hated Izayoi and how she changed everything about the house that one day belonged to her. For centuries, no less.

She removed her perfectly manicured claws from the books — she had just come out from the manicure when InuTaisho told her in a few words that Sesshomaru and the family were in trouble. As much as she hated gossip, she did not need to be a genius to type the words Sesshomaru + scandal in her mobile phone to know what was happening. The social media was bubbling with news of her only son, a marriage and a half-breed in the mix — and shifted her attention back to her son.

"You did not mark her…" she commented, her golden eyes narrowed. "Not permanently."

There was no answer from his part. As expected.

"The hypocrisy of the members of his house is surely something astonishing." She did not suppress a smirk. "You judge your half-breed brother and call him weak, but you are so much weaker than him."

There was silence.

Again.

Sesshomaru had his hands closed in fists by his side. He would not answer. He did not have an answer. What could he say? That she was exaggerating? She was not.

InuKimi was right.

She was always right.

He hated her for that.

He hated himself for that.

He hated that Naraku — his enemy — was out there, doing kami-knows-what while he had to deal with his family and the drama that came with it.

He hated that Rin hated him.

He hated that his son would hate him as soon as he knew of their impeding marriage and of his ancestry — if he did not know already. They were talking of a smart boy, for Kami's sake.

He judged his father not once or twice, but endless times. And look at what happened to him. He fell in love… with Rin and got her pregnant.

The almighty and so proud Sesshomaru did exactly what he judged his father for doing for so many years. He got involved with a human and had a child with her. A half-breed. And, just like his father, the idea of staying away from him — the idea of not protecting his son was maddening beyond belief.

Perhaps because of that he had acted that day back in the school…?

He shook his head while he served himself and his mother with a dose of a old whisky Dalmore Trinitas 64. She inhaled the drink and smiled.

"The company is in crises, but you serve me one of the most expensive whiskies of the world. Tsk, tsk."

Sesshomaru looked at her over his shoulder; a cold glance that would make anyone stop dead only made InuKimi smirk.

"Easy, I will drink it."

There was silence again between them. Both merely tasted their drinks and said nothing. She stared at her son's back, while he was lost on the grandiose garden just outside those windows.

There was another reason why Sesshomaru resembled his father and he knew his mother was referring to exactly that. Even if he did not mean it in the first place, just like InuTaisho, he had abandoned Rin and his son.

Exactly like his father.

Shortly after the divorce — or as soon as he exchanged InuKimi for Izayoi —, InuTaisho left him to his mother and forgot him for decades. Centuries, maybe. And that was probably the reason — no, that was the exact reason — why Sesshomaru hated humans and half-breeds with such a passion.

He had judged his father for that. He promised himself that even if he had children one day he would never abandon them like he had been abandoned and yet…

A hypocrite.

He was a fucking hypocrite.

"When do you intend on bestowing upon her the definite mark?" His mother's voice dragged him out of his thoughts. "Will you really surrender to something so human such as a marriage?"

Sesshomaru took his time to reply. When he did, he surprised both of them.

"I don't intend on marking her."

To his answer there was only silence and then a new explosion of laughter. He kept on staring at her over his shoulder and felt his back tense when she back-hugged him, her head resting on his broad shoulders.

Displays of affection were almost nonexistent on the Takahashi family, at least among the trio InuTaisho, InuKimi and Sesshomaru — the patriarch always seemed willing to demonstrate what he felt for both InuYasha and his human wife —, therefore no one could judge him for being caught off guard when his mother touched him in such a motherly and intimate fashion.

Placing his glass over the old desk, he put his hands over hers in a slightly caress.

"You are a liar, Maru… A terrible liar at that."

#

She was still mulling over the earlier encounter with InuTaisho. She never hated Sesshomaru so much for staying silent.

Sure, he was a silent person, never too prone to waste his time with small talk or useless topics, but he has neither prone to be controlled by anyone. And as much as he wanted that damned marriage to take place, Rin knew he could not want it for real.

Could he?

Why did he stay quiet?

What did InuTaisho held over him to make him agree so quickly and let him come as far as to threaten her? The Sesshomaru she knew would not let anyone threaten her.

Then you leave me little choice but to contact my lawyers and petition Hiraku's custody.

But then again, the Sesshomaru she knew could be very well dead.

She shook such thoughts away and walked towards Hiraku's room. Sesshomaru was probably in the office with his mother — and she just expected her to never leave there — and she had little else to do. Izayoi now stared at her with something akin to empathy and a bit of pity. She hated people who pitied her.

InuTaisho was locked up in a business meeting with InuYasha.

Except for Sesshomaru, InuTaisho and his ex-wife, she could not deny his family, to certain degree, cozy. Did she mention his mother?

She still felt her body trembling with rage after the meeting with the haughty woman and the way she called Hiraku a half-breed. She hated how people — demons too — believed they could call her boy by such a hateful and cruel name.

How many times she had found him crying, while still a toddler, because someone had called him a half-breed, a mutt, in the school.

If she could, she would keep InuKimi away from her son.

In light steps, she approached the room in which Hiraku was lead, just to be surprised by the presence of the said demoness stroking his silvery locks. They were sitting in the carpeted floor and Hiraku seemed rather concentrated while they build together the locomotive of the Hogwarts Express.

She bit her bottom lip.

In spite of his cleverness, Hiraku was no more than a six-year-old boy. A child who loved Harry Potter, who could read and write fairly well in his age, but still a child who could be easily bought by anyone who just gave him a new item to his collection. And he wanted that for so long… Something that Rin could not give him since they came to live in Japan and she had to deal with so many different bills…

"You are my grandmother…" he stated in a silent tone. Rin could barely hear him.

InuKimi chuckled. Her fingers did not stop the caress on his silky locks.

"You are a clever one, aren't you?" She touched his forehead, tracing the crest. "Just like your father."

"He is not my father."

The fire in his eyes startled InuKimi for a moment. But in the next she was smirking and then laughing.

Yes… just like your father… She thought and shook her head. She adored this boy already. It did not go past them the fact Rin was in the room, but neither said anything. For a mere toddler — he was a baby, really —, his senses were very sharpened. And his feelings were quite strong.

She did not remember Sesshomaru being that vehement and strong willed. Perhaps he got that from his mother.

"I hate him," he murmured, making Rin's heart clench where she stood. "I hate them."

In that moment, she thought about entering the room and hold him — he did not mean for sure that he hated her, right? —, but she was stopped by a huge hand resting on hers. She jumped, startled, and if not for having his hand over her mouth, she would have screamed.

"Sesshomaru!" she whispered against his hand; her heart on the verge of leaving her chest. Slowly, he removed his fingers from her lips and landed them on her shoulders; the hand around her wrist remained on the same place.

"Let's go," he said, pulling her to himself. Rin almost fell on her feet. "Leave them alone."

With a nod, she agreed.

It was not like Hiraku wanted to see neither of them so soon.

#

"I thought she hated..." She breathed in rather sharply, looking for the right words. She chose the one who hurt her son the most, "half-breeds."

Sesshomaru shook his head after a few seconds.

"She has got talent for drama," he replied, handing her a glass of the same whisky he had served his mother earlier.

"Right…" Rin took it, inhaling the content carefully before tasting it. Her action made him narrow his eyes slightly.

"I will not drug you."

She shrugged.

Silence fell upon them. The only indication she had Sesshomaru paid attention to her gesture was the fact he stared at her intensely. He was angry. Angry with her lack of trust. But when he thought closely of it, how could she trust him? It was not like he ever gave her any reason to.

"How can I be sure Hiraku will be okay with her?"

Sesshomaru did not even think of replying. Rin knew that nothing would befall Hiraku. She knew he would not let his mother hurt him. If he let InuKimi anywhere near him it was because he knew it was fine. Rin had seen that with her own two eyes.

"She did not say anything when he said he hated us," she spat bitterly.

"You are being irrational." His voice was so harsh for a moment she felt her eyes widen.

His golden orbs were fixated on her, pining her on the spot. She swallowed. She knew very well what he meant.

What could she have said?

She sighed.

It was not like Hiraku would like her if she disagreed with him in their very first meeting. Her son was a stubborn little thing. She knew that.

At the present moment, the boy liked his barely known grandmother more than his parents. And if the way he let her touch him — something he always chided Rin for doing — was of any indication…

"She likes him," he commented and filled his glass with the drink. "And you."

"It did not look like that."

The demon accepted her glass and filled it as well.

"She has a very peculiar way of showing when he likes someone."

"Hn."

When Rin realized she had just copied his typical answer and that he was staring at her rather intensely, she could not help but feel her cheeks flush. She cleared her throat.

"When I will be able to go back to my home?"

"You will not."

"What?" She almost let the glass fall. "I mean… My things… The school, where are we staying? At your house?" The questions were all over quick, showing her insecurities and her deep discomfort. "My job?"

Sesshomaru growled at her last question. It was not like she had a job to return to. It was not like he was letting her get anywhere near that damned Onigumo again.

"You will stay here," he replied, managing to sound calm. "We will all stay here."

The answer made her gulp. She could not imagine living in the same place as him, but she knew she had to get used to it. They would get married after all. At least, for now, they would be in the Manor and it was such a relief.

He continued to stare at her with that very intense eyes. It made her spine freeze. She knew what was coming even before he opened his mouth.

"Rin, we need—

"No…" She looked at him and shook her head. "Not now."

#

It was past ten p.m when Rin decided that she had too much energy to spend. Hiraku was sleeping peacefully and, unlike him, she could not close her eyes.

Sadly, she could not approach him while he was awake, but he did not refuse her touch when he fell asleep. When he was mad at her, he would usually dodge her touch as well.

She kissed his forehead lovingly and left his room.

Putting on a light sweatshirt, she decided to go for a job. With some luck, when she returned she could be so tired she would faint on the bed, unable to think twice.

Rin checked for her mobile phone and her phones beats. Next, she chose Oh L'amour and put it on repeat mode, leaving the manor as quietly as possible shortly after.

She had to think and in that place she would not be able to. There had to be some solution to that entire situation and if not a solution, at least she had to come with terms to the yes she would be saying in the next… it did not matter how many days later.

The mere idea of coming to term to something she so heartily detested made her hate herself for looking like a human version of Dory and her ridiculous just keep swimming.

That was not some kind of situation one just had to say just keep fucking swimming. But what more could she do really?

With a sigh, she closed the gate and looked at each side of the street. There was no one.

Good.

Rin just did not realize she was being followed by a pair of golden eyes.

#

Sesshomaru had just left the dojo in the Takahashi manor when he saw Rin leaving for a jog. Back in Holland, they would always go for a jog at night. Different from him who was used to wake up early to train, Rin preferred to roll in the bed for another hour and get some exercise at night.

It did not take him long to get rid of the training kimono and toss an open sweater over his sweat-soaked white t-shirt, put on some running shoes and follow her through the deserted streets of Minami-Azabu.

Sesshomaru knew Rin could defend herself from any common assault — he had trained her himself for such cases —, but with Naraku on the run, he would stay as closer as possible.

He followed her, to a certain distance, for good twenty minutes in constant jog; his sharp senses attentive to any kind of approach. His hearing focused on the music that kept on repeating on her phones.

Erasure…

He would have smirked if the situation were any different. He had been the one to show her the British duo. He knew them since their formation back at the '80 and had been to some of their shows around the world — one of them in her company.

The lyrics to one of the duo's first hits made him narrow his eyes and think about their situation right now — the trust issues she had, the fear of being abandoned again — and how all of it was his fault.

And what did he do to change that?

Nothing,his inner demon replied.

The mere fact she still wanted him physically meant nothing. Or almost surely did not mean she trusted him or that she did not feel fear when around him.

That she did not hate him.

That she did not think the fact he marked her was just a ploy to get her to say yes to that marriage.

And judging by how silent he became when his father said they would marry… Judging by how still he stood when his father threatened her.

He wanted nothing more than to rip his father's head.

He wanted so many things…

He wanted her to understand his reasons…

He wanted her to forgive him… Even if he had done nothing to earn her forgiveness.

He wanted everything but her fear.

Sesshomaru liked to be feared. He loved it even. It was an indescribable sensation. But there was one person and one person only he did not want to fear him.

He closed his eyes.

He knew he was the only one at fault.

It was his own fear that lead them to that situation.

Pathetic. You are pathetic.

It was not always he agreed with his demon, but this time he could not agree more.

He had been afraid of his feelings for a human and now that he wanted such feeling to bring them back together, all he could get was further apart.

Fool.

He watched her come to a stop and inhale sharply; her hands over her knees and her breath coming out in gasps. He approached her and offered her a bottle of water he always carried when they trained together. Rin never remembered to do that herself.

She cast a sideway glance at him, but shook her head and accepted the bottle. In three big gulps, she swallowed half of the water. Soon, she removed the phones from her head and let them rest on her neck.

"You did not have to follow me."

There was no answer from his part. Not that she expected him to agree with her. He closed the bottle and watched her drying herself with the small towel she produced from her pockets.

The padded headphone kept the music very much alive and playing.

…No emotional ties

You don't remember my name…

Utterly ashamed for getting caught listening to that music — he probably heard that the entire path —, Rin paused it and cleared her throat.

"Well… we can return now."

"Hn."

Together, they jogged back home in silence. Sesshomaru followed her rhythm easily. When they only two blocks away he started.

Part of him revolted at the mere thought.

His pride.

The other part knew it was the right thing to do.

His consciousness — or the little that was left of it.

"I apologize."

Rin came to a sudden stop. She turned to him so fast it made her neck hurt and the mark burn.

"What?"

Sesshomaru drew in a sharp breath; the air entering his lungs a bit forcefully.

He could barely believe himself.

And there it was.

He was not only afraid to love her in the past, but at the prospect that love changed people. And he did not want to change. He wanted for people to change because of him and not the other way around.

His fear… His greatest fear, perhaps, was change. And end up perceived as weak.

Selfish. Arrogant jerk.

"Forgive me for having abandoned you. What I did was…"

"Unforgivable?" Rin completed for him, making him narrow his eyes and purse his lips into a thin line.

"Yes."

The one who agreed with her was not he himself, but his inner demon. He would never agree that he had hurt her so much. It would be a gigantic blow to his ego he was not ready to take just yet.

And he hated his demon for that. He hated the thing for being right when he was wrong. She was right. What he did was unforgivable.

Rin was touched for a moment.

Her ex-lover was not a man prone to apologize. On the contrary, he exerted his power over everyone and demanded things, he never asked for them. To apologize — to ask for forgiveness — was something unprecedented and probably very much painful for the mighty yokai.

It sounded truthful.

But with Sesshomaru — this new Sesshomaru — one could never know.

She bit her bottom lip a bit forcefully.

"If you think that changes anything…"

She stopped before the dangerous flash in his golden eyes. For a moment, she almost saw him trapping her between his body and some of the huge trees around. But he did not move, he did not even seem to be breathing.

Pausing, she thought of her next words. She knew they would hurt the two of them. They were burning her throat even before she spoke them.

"I don't know if I believe in you."

She looked down, unable to face him. The need to cry was just to overwhelming she had trouble controlling herself. She felt his hand touching her chin and later her lips in a small caress that prevented her from bruising them further. A second later the arm fell to his sides.

"Rin…"

"Please..." Her voice was weak already. She did not know how much more she could go own without crying. Her throat burned. "Can't you just leave us alone? Why did you have to come back? I was happy without you." She bit her bottom lip and suppressed a sob. "You will bring nothing but pain to Hiraku."

"You cannot keep me from my son."

She looked up, right into his golden eyes. Hers were shiny with the unshed tears.

"You have never cared about him. You have never lo—

"I did not know about his existence till three weeks ago," he cut her off. His deep voice so imperious made her widen her eyes.

He was right.

It was true.

She could not judge him for his reaction. She knew he hated hanyos. He hated humans with the same passion. She could not expect him to accept Hiraku and love him from night to day.

But she could not let her son — her baby boy — get hurt with his irrational and irascible behavior. She could not let Hiraku suffer for not being loved unconditionally as he deserved by his father because Sesshomaru would always see him as a mere half-breed.

"I am afraid…" she admitted. In the darkness of the streets it was easy to be honest with him. "I am afraid you'll hurt him."

For a moment, the only sound was the one coming from the nocturnal animals around them. From the rustling of the trees. Without even noticing, Rin tapped her finger against her thigh and the music began playing once again. Right in the chorus.

Oh l'amour

Broke my heart

And now I'm aching for you

Mon amour

What's a boy in love

Supposed to do?

With a heavy sigh, almost irritated, she removed her mobile phone from her pocket and turned it off.

"I am sorry."

She expected him to remain in silence, but his next comment made her feel a bit disoriented.

"You are afraid I will hurt you. Again."

Rin closed her eyes.

She wanted to believe in his words. She wanted to believe him so very much it hurt.

But she could not.

"I will not," he promised, his voice deeper than usual.

In the darkened streets it was easier to be open about his feelings.

He had never loved someone before.

Love had always been a feeling that he considered bellow himself. For the weak-minded. Something worthy of losers and Sesshomaru was not a loser.

But yesterday, when Naraku attacked he only knew he needed to protect her. In the past, his father had asked more than once if he had someone to protect.

There was not.

At least not in the past.

Now… He wanted to protect her. He wanted to protect Hiraku.

That should be enough.

"Do not keep me away from you." His voice was solemn now. "Do not keep me away from my son."

"I…" She took a deep breath. "I need some time…" She bit her bottom lip. "I know it sounds ridiculous to ask for a time when your father demanded that we get married, but…"

"Hn."

She was not surprised that was his response. But she knew by now distinguish between the different types of hn he usually let out. And this time it meant she could keep on talking.

"I need to get alone… Without you..." She looked to the sky and then to the ground. To their feet. She could not muster the necessary courage to look at him in the eye. "And I want you to remove this mark."

Finally, she cast a glance at him and found his golden orbs completely focused on her face. A small shiver run down her spine when he used his thumb to trace her cheek slowly.

Before he could do anything else, she placed her finger upon his lips.

He narrowed his eyes.

"I am afraid of..."

"I know…" he whispered against her finger. He knew she was afraid and he hated himself for that. He watched as her beautiful eyes fluttered close. "Rin, I…"

She shook her head. She did not wish for another apology she was not even sure she could believe. And really, there was nothing to apologize for — except for that mark and for being a jerk whenever they interacted, but certainly not for the past, not for letting her go. Couples break up and get together again… It was mostly natural and he just did not love her as she had loved him.

Rin did not judge him, but she could not help but feel afraid.

"I still love you…" The confession came out of her lips in a whisper. His thumb over her skin was the best sensation in the universe. "But I am afraid."

"Rin..."

"That's why I am asking for some time." She breathed deeply again and opened her eyes. "And that's why I beg of you to remove this mark. I don't care what were your reasons in the first place… Just… Just remove it."

Before he could come up with an answer, she kissed his cheek and went back on jogging; the headphones in place and the music in the repeat mode. The tears were freely running down her face.

Astonished, Sesshomaru watched her jog, not knowing what to do.

The confession caught him off guard. Undoubtedly, what shocked him the most was not the fact she said she loved him and ask for a break, but the realization that he, too, loved her.

And mainly the realization that he, just like her, was afraid.

Afraid of losing her and, above anything else, afraid of loving her.

A/N – Tada! What do you guys think?

I loooove Erasure very much and this is one of my favorite songs of them. I think it fits our couple quite well.

I know Rin doesn't sound so mad, it's because she is tired. I hope that doesn't sound so very OOC. Considering that we only know Rin as a child, it's difficult to predict how she would react in certain circumstances.

For those interested in Hiraku's reaction to Sesshomaru being his father, don't worry… It will come in the next chapter xD

And will he respect Rin's wishes? It's been more than three weeks already, so they the beauty and the beast will change places again. What do you think Sesshomaru's reaction will be when he finds out Rin is a demoness while he is human?

I don't have much more to say… Except that I'm tired and I'm going to sleep. I hope you enjoy this chapter and if you feel like it, do leave me a review. I'd appreciate any word from you.

I hope to update in the next 15 days.

Till then, take care,

Velvetsins.