AN: Why hello there! Here's the illegitimate child birthed while ReBirth is being rescued. It's a very loose unplanned semi-kinda-one-shot with multiple chapters (sort of like what ReBirth started as, if you couldn't tell by all the rewriting XP) . It's a highly overused basis, but the album just hit me right and wouldn't go away, so here's what happens when you wish Sesshomaru and Rin were in a consenting Sub/Dom relationship with some hearkening to 50 Shades of Grey, and Purity Ring's gorgeous second album Another Eternity had been the theme music for it. So yes, just putting it out there, strong S+M themes eventually, and many lemons, definitely will deserve the rating.

DISCLAIMER: Seeing as how some scenes/dialogues/situations are slightly reminiscent to 50 Shades of Grey by EL James, I do not own it, please buy the books/audiobooks. The title, any lyrics used and chapter names all belong directly to the band Purity Ring off of their album Another Eternity, buy the album. Also, duh, any and all material that is not from the above listed sources is NOT MINE AT ALL but instead belongs to the Inuyasha "franchise" (correct wording?) and the author Rumiko Takahashi, and all others that have given her money for the intellectual property etc. Man, really hope I covered everything, so scared of being sued r/n guys, can't lie O.o (Of course I'm not making a profit, so there's no reason for it, but credit will always be due...)

Another Eternity

Chapter One:

Heartsigh

"Whisper, whimper on I won't forget to close your eyes for you I'll sing before you lie down

And push your sleep along I'll sink below the ground

Find the weeping, wailing calls you echo

And I'll build a house around you

Stir a moat until you drown, down

I'll whisk away your heart sigh and bury it in mine

I'll whisk away your heart sigh and bury it in mine"

It was a damp night, and Rin Kimura found she just couldn't stop shivering. It was a heavy May evening and the air felt chill forcing her to keep arms wrapped around her torso in a loose embrace. Her warm chestnut eyes glanced over to her cheery companion keeping pace at her side, her friend Kagome Higurashi. She did not seem to be feeling the cold in the same way Rin was, but then again, she seemed like she wasn't too aware of anything at the moment. As Rin briefly wondered how she was freezing and her friend was not, Kagome caught her eye and smiled thankfully. "It should just be down this next street, thanks again for agreeing to do this Rin." They were making their way through the lower-downtown area around seven at night, on their way to a dinner. Specifically a kind of dinner where Kagome would be introducing her to her new boyfriend.. She gave Kagome a half-hearted smile in return.

"Of course. I'm interested to meet this guy. You kept him a secret for almost three months, he must be special." The other girl colored lightly, and she waved her hand dismissively. "In a manner of speaking. I just couldn't trust Sango to react properly, she's kind of a a wild card sometimes y'know? About certain things anyways." "Mhmm. She's definitely kind of excitable at times." Rin agreed, nodding in solemn agreement. Kagome snorted lightly. "'Excitable'? That's one word for it. This guy is just...different somehow. I have a hard time explaining it, even to myself. I think I just want a second opinion honestly. An unbiased opinion." Kagome had come clean to Rin about him just yesterday, extending the invitation at the same time.

She had been nervous when she had asked her, which had surprised Rin greatly as well. Kagome had always seemed to sure of herself, so level-headed. The girl had practically stuttered when asking. Rin had been slightly hesitant to accept initially. She had known Kagome for close to a year, and she felt close to the girl, but Rin had assumed she would ask Sango Amano before she asked her. She was Kagome's oldest friend as far as Rin knew, and was the core of the small group of friends that had formed around their relationship with each other. This small group also comprised all of Rin's current acquaintances; she had only moved into the city two years ago to attend university there when she had switched her major.

Rin sighed as she contemplated the implications of this invitation, and moved through the crowd keeping pace with Kagome. The confident girl clearly knew where they were going as she turned off from the populated center and moved down a less-populated side street. She was not happy to be shouldering this responsibility, nor was she happy about having dinner alone with a couple despite her being humbled by the intimacy of Kagome's request. Judging from her friend's gleeful half-trot as they made their way deeper downtown, Kagome was clearly excited about the encounter.

Seeing as how Rin had just been forcefully removed from relationship with only her second ever boyfriend, the idea of sitting in a romantic restaurant with her best friend and her best friend's squeeze was somehow not cheering her up. It had only happened just that morning, and she suspected she was still in shock. Two months of her life just gone, in a puff of figurative anticlimactic smoke.

"I'm really honored Kagome. I'm sorry I'm not as excited as you are right now, I'm just struggling a little with the concept of spending my evening watching a successful relationship." Rin responded, a tinge of sulk in her tone. She felt bad instantly as Kagome turned back to her, looking guilty. "I am so sorry about the timing of this. We can still cancel, he's really laid-back, he won't mind. We could go back to your place, dig into some cake, watch a horror movie maybe one of your favorites?" Rin cursed to herself. She knew this wasn't Kagome's fault, the girl had asked before the break-up and after Rin hadn't filled her in until she had met her at her apartment. Kagome immediately apologized profusely and offered to cancel...but Rin had felt the pressure of the significance of Kagome asking her and not Sango and had felt it mandatory to insist on keeping the date. Of course, she could still privately sulk if she so wished, she just swore to do her best not to let it show.

She shook her head as Kagome watched her with wide, worried eyes and did her best to smile as convincingly as she could, truly meaning it. "No, no, it's completely fine 'Gome. I know how important this is for you, I want to be there for it, really." Kagome gave her a skeptical look, so Rin switched gears quickly. "Besides," she continued "I'm wondering if he's as cute as you've said he is." She winked cajolingly to distract her, and it worked. Kagome flushed, and her eyes moved away from Rin, desperate to not show how flustered she clearly was. "W-Well anyways, we're almost there. It's some new place, just opened. I guess it's pretty exclusive." Rin smiled slightly to herself as Kagome began rambling about the restaurant and the reviews it had received, obviously trying to distract Rin from further talk of Inuyasha. Rin continued to follow her, but her mind began to wander onto her own troubles.

This week was exam week, and she was in a critical year for her degree. This was her junior year and if she didn't nail at least four of the tests with a well-above-average score, she would be in danger of losing her scholarship and her place in her program. And, just this morning, her boyfriend of two months had informed her he no longer felt they were "right for each other". She wasn't really heart-broken by his statement to be honest. She had felt they had been growing apart for a weeks now, and she had the feeling her constant deterring of his physical affections was more than a bit frustrating for him.

Then again, she began rationalizing as she focused back onto her still-rambling friend, it was much more likely that seeing Kagome, who normally kept herself closed and reserved, with someone she cared for romantically could give her some hope. Sango was flirtatious, and Kagome was limited in her dealings with the opposite sex. If Sango could be in a happy relationship, and Kagome could too there had to be someone perfect for her right? She was twenty-three now, and had only had two relationships in her entire life. Her early years had been dominated by losing her parents and being adopted by Kaede Kimura, an elder barren woman who had raised Rin with love and support. As a result there were a lot of other things in her life for awhile that had kept her distracted from boys throughout most of her schooling, until high school at least. And by then she had been branded as the "poor orphan girl" so she had always feared boys would only date her out of pity for her and her traumatic circumstances. Senior year she had dated another boy in her class for two weeks.

He had ended it when she had refused to kiss him on their second date. She had been hurt, but focused on school and her passion for history and demon studies instead, and just a few months ago she had met Kaito. He was sweet, and cute and funny, and Rin had been excited and happy when he had asked her out. They hadn't spent much time together, he being an acquaintance of Sango's long-term booty-call (as she so begrudgingly called her on-again-off-again relationship) with Miroku, and after two months of hand-holding, a few heated kisses occasionally, he called to tell her with finality he felt they had "drifted apart" and that "this was clearly going nowhere". Rin had been thinking of sleeping with him, just to get it over with, and to hopefully abate his frustration with her. She had sensed it more and more in the last few weeks as well.

At this point, she was beginning to feel like a freak of nature. Now, of course, she was glad she hadn't. She knew she would have regretted being with someone the first time knowing that he was just as content to end it. At least she found out before making the mistake instead of after when she would be forced to live with the regret, instead of unknowingly dodging it. "-It should be just up ahead-" Rin snapped back to the present as she almost bumped into Kagome's back. The girl had stopped to observe the street signs at an intersection, and Rin had almost crashed right into her.

Kagome frowned as she noticed her distraction. She smiled brightly and grabbed Rin's hand. "Come on Rin, perk up! We're going to get a fancy dinner, on the house may I add, and spend the night in a trendy restaurant! Besides-" she released Rin's hand and crossed her arms across her chest, dramatically before continuing: "-that idiot had no idea what he was doing. He's clearly a total imbecile, and not worth your thoughts or time." Rin smiled falteringly in response and Kagome sobered and continued in a small, soft voice. "And...like you said, this really does mean a lot to me…" Rin was again shocked by Kagome's change in behavior over this guy. She had to do this for her, and she was glad she had come along. Her curiosity was now officially peaked as well to meet the man who could make Kagome blush and become so timid. Rin grinned cheekily at her friend's demure behavior.

Kagome Higurashi was the most put-together person Rin had probably ever known. One year her senior, they had met when Rin had transferred into the program her Sophomore year, and Kagome had swept Rin under her wing almost immediately. Rin preferred to keep to herself most of her life, never really making "close" friends, but Kagome had come with a veritable gang of friends that Rin was quickly adopted into. Kagome had been her cynic and her voice of wisdom for a year now and this meek, shy personality was one she could have never even imagined Kagome could be capable of. She was always so bold, so fiery.

"I can't lie, I'm very curious to meet this mystery man. Who could possibly make the bold Kagome Higurashi so meek?" Rin smirked, seeing Kagome's eyes blaze at this. She turned away from Rin, choosing not to take her bait for the time being. Kagome came to a stop a moment later and turned towards a dimly-lit storefront. "Here we are!" She said cheerfully, motioning to the blackened windows in front of her. Rin eyed the darkly-tinted windows and intricate outdoor lighting ruefully. She took in her and Kagome's reflections in the large windows, and felt she was lacking slightly in light of the clear formality of the establishment.

Rin was shorter than Kagome, a hair above petite. Kagome, who was curvy and leggy, made her feel like a flat, formeless board next to her voluptuous friend. She was now glad she had chosen something slightly-classy to wear, one of her favorite dresses. Kagome wore a sleek black dress, clingy in all the right places, while managing effortlessly to not be too revealing. Rin had chosen a black dress as well, with a white flower print around the skirt's hem that fanned around her knees. She had done her makeup to the best of her abilities, managing a nice clean look that accentuated the gold flecks in her eyes. Her lips were done as well, and her hair was curled so it lay on her shoulders softly. Kagome had called her elegant, Rin had felt like an inarticulate mess. If she was so "elegant" why had Kaito dropped her like a hot potato?

Rejected by a boy she had assumed would be her introduction into intimacy she had been curious about since her teens, there was no way she could look as nice as Kagome could. The girl was gorgeous with her silky hair wrapped in a high-bun on her head, her lush lips, her alluring eyes. Rin eyed her face more closely, checking for any flaws in her make-up. She was not used to having to look presentable. If she were being objective, she might be able to concede how her eyes would look large and alluring like Kagome's did, in her small, sprite-like face. Or maybe how her lips looked soft and enticing with the light pink gloss that matched her what-could-be-delicate cheekbones with their natural color. Her lashes were long, Sango had pointed this out to her one night while helping her apply make-up, and this was attractive apparently. Then there was her nose. She had always been fond of her nose in particular. She had her father's nose, and the rest of her belonged to her mother. She frowned as she noticed the curvature at its bridge. It had been broken in the accident, and the scar on the bridge still remained. Rin sighed, moping again and losing the fun of taunting her normally-unshakeable friend just a moment ago. Kagome opened the door and motioned her inside. This dinner was going to suck.

The restaurant was just as dim inside as it looked outside. Small candles on the table provided the majority of the light, along with sconces every few feet on the walls. The inside was even more elegantly-designed than the outside. It was crowded and most of the people inside, Rin noticed as she looked around, made her shiver instinctively. They all looked like demons. She glanced hesitantly over to Kagome who was addressing the hostess, a young blonde distinctly-human girl. The girl nodded and motioned for them to follow her. They were led through the other diners (Rin noticed they were eyeing the two of them, interested), finally coming to a large table with a crisp white tablecloth. Kagome took a seat and Rin followed thanking the girl as she handed them two menus. Kagome was still smiling happily, and seemed unaffected by their surroundings.

"'Gome...why did you pick this place?" Rin whispered from behind her menu. "I didn't, Inuyasha did." she answered, still cheery. "Oh, um... I think this is a restaurant for demons only-" "Inuyasha! Over here!" Kagome stood up and waved to a man entering the restaurant, cutting Rin off. Rin felt her face redden as the other diners watched her incredulously. Then Rin saw Inuyasha and the restaurant gained some context. He was a dog demon! He was only slightly taller than Kagome, with impish features and long waist-length hair the color of spider's silk. He had it pulled back into a loose ponytail, and was dressed casually in a pair of loose slacks and a black sweater. His eyes were a tawny gold, and they lit up when they focused on Kagome. There were two ears on the top of his head that gave him away as a demon immediately and they twitched forward as he made his way towards them.

He approached the table, smirking at Kagome. Rin could see his fangs. "Hey, sorry we're late." He apologized and kissed Kagome's cheek. "What do you mean "we"?" Kagome asked, her eyes sharpening. "Oh, yeah, sorry, I guess I forgot to mention, my half-brother will be joining us tonight. He's in town for business, and insisted on meeting you." His voice was light and relaxed, but he spoke quickly as he revealed his mystery guest to an obviously freaking out Kagome. "M-Meeting me? Why?" Kagome stuttered, looking startled. Inuyasha was clearly unsure of how to answer this question; his ears flattened to the side of his head, and his tanned skin flushed lightly. He mumbled: "Well, you know, I don't normally date girls this long, and he said he was curious so…" he trailed off, looking uncomfortable. "Besides, you said Rin was like family to you, I didn't want to show up a family member short!" he defended and Kagome's cheeks flushed angry red at this, as Rin patted her shoulder sympathetically. She knew that Kagome, overly-organized Kagome, was not taking this well, and she radiated with this disturbance.

"Fine. But next time give me some warning idiot!" And she thwacked him on the side of the head. Rin gasped, expecting anger from Inuyasha at her semi-dramatic outburst, but he simply glowered at her and rubbed his skull, mumbling what sounded like an apology. Rin felt that had earned him a point. He had encountered Kagome's rage before and knew better than to fight it. His tawny eyes landed on Rin and he smiled brightly, fangs fully exposed. "How rude of me, you must be Rin, am I right?" He held out his hand to her, looking extremely pleased to meet her. 'Another point.' Rin added in her head. "You guessed it. It's very nice to meet you." She took his hand easily and gave him a kind smile in return. He shook it lightly and daintily as Rin included a formal bow with her greeting. "You're so polite." he took a seat, holding Kagome's hand. "My brother will like that. He can be kind of...well, standoffish at times." He frowned slightly, and his eyes became distant.

As he continued, he seemed to be talking more to himself than to them. "He's not really good with humans, or anyone really. Just don't take it personally. Cute little thing like you, he'd love to take a whack at you, I'm sure." Inuyasha grinned and gave Rin a cheekish wink as Kagome gave him another light thwack. "It hasn't even been five minutes and I'm already needing to apologize for you!" she hissed. Inuyasha placed a hand on the back of his head, looking sheepish. Kagome's eyes looked worried as she added softly: "Should I be worried about meeting him?" Inuyasha's eyes softened as he gazed at her. "You're perfect, you don't need to worry about a thing. Besides, I warned him to behave or I'd kick his ass." He grinned cockily and the tips of his fangs poked out from behind his lips.

He glanced back to Rin and smiled warmly at her. "I'm just messing with you anyways, he's basically a block of ice. Just...don't take it personally, really." Kagome inhaled sharply, and hissed: "Lay off of Rin, and tell me everything I need to know before he gets here!" Inuyasha laughed loudly and continued to reassure her.

Rin looked around Inuyasha's head, politely missing him handling Kagome's freak out. As she let her eyes travel across the restaurant one end to the other, her eyes reached the doorway and she froze instantly. There was a man standing in the doorway, his eyes scanning across the room. He was tall and muscular, his body sleek in a crisp black suit. His features were strong and regal, she dared to say beautiful even, and his hair was a shade lighter than Inuyasha's the color of moonbeams on a bright night. It was longer too, falling to his thighs. It hung gracefully around him, and his bangs framed his sharp cheekbones perfectly. She thought if she touched those cheeks they may slice her fingertips. She instantly wanted to. An aura of fierceness seemed to radiate from him, and she felt caught by it even at such a distance.

His eyes found hers while she openly gaped at him and as their eyes met the breath left her lungs as if she had been punched. His eyes were liquid gold, and they glittered mysteriously in the candle-light around them. She had never seen anything so warm in her entire life. As she continued to stare into them, she swore they widened slightly as a streak of crimson flashed through them. 'Is that his half-brother?!' Rin thought wildly as he began advancing towards their table.

He moved elegantly and with purpose. She had an odd thought that she could just watch him move forever. The thought was so bizarre, like her want to stroke his face, she shook her head slightly to keep it from overtaking her. His eyes were still focused on her, as he advanced. They reflected off of the candlelight passionately still, and Rin felt the need to gasp for the air they had stolen from her.

"Hey, there you are!" Inuyasha's loud voice ringing out woke Rin enough to realize how obvious she was staring at this man, and her face instantly flushed as she intentionally looked away swiftly. She could feel his eyes on her still and it made her skin warm as if he were touching her from across the room. He had reached their table and Inuyasha stood, introducing him. "This is my half-brother Sesshomaru Taisho. Sesshomaru this is Kagome Higurashi, my girlfriend, and her friend Rin Kimura." Inuyasha motioned to both of them, and Kagome stood to shake Sesshomaru's hand. He took her hand lightly and gave it a gentle kiss instead of shaking it, after nodding to her in greeting. Kagome pulled her hand away, clasping it tightly to her chest and Inuyasha snorted.

"All of a sudden you're Mr. Manners, huh?" He mocked, crossing his arms across his chest. Sesshomaru glanced at him dismissively, and retorted: "You say this because I can conduct myself properly in the presence of beautiful women, unlike yourself who at your age still continues to be a social menace?" His voice was airy, yet deep and Rin felt it shift through her core. Kagome laughed lightly, Rin held in her laughter for Inuyasha's sake, and Inuyasha fumed openly.

Rin dared to look at him directly, as an awkward silence fell after he introduced himself to Kagome. "Rin, it is a pleasure to meet you." His voice was so smooth and rich, she felt her heart fluttering madly in her chest as it swept over her once more. She looked up and caught his eyes again. They were almost boring into her, and it felt like they were seeing down into the deepest parts of her while she put up no resistance at all. She was more than a little unnerved by this.

"It's nice to meet you as well Sesshomaru Taisho." Her voice came out soft, almost trembling, and she held out her slightly-shaking hand. He took it in his own, bent over the table, and his lips pressed to her knuckles. It was the briefest of moments, but everything in Rin lit up. He released her hand, and she pulled it to her side, holding it close and averted her eyes from him. He sat across from her, and there was silence for a moment. "Um, okay...so, do we want an appetizer?" Inuyasha supplied, looking to Kagome. Kagome's eyes were narrowed, watching Rin, but she looked to him and picked up his hint immediately. "Sure, what's good here?" She supplied, breaking the tense moment that had followed Sesshomaru taking his seat.

Rin's head was spinning as she used their conversation to open her menu and attempt to hide behind it. 'What is wrong with me, I've never felt this way before!' Rin screamed to herself, her mind scrambling to understand her body's irresponsible actions. The signals from her brain to her body felt discombobulated, jumbled, confused. As she eyed the menu the conversation continued. Inuyasha and Kagome signaled a server and ordered something (Rin didn't bother catching what) and Sesshomaru began asking Kagome short yet interested questions about herself. He was so polite as he asked her about her major and her interests. Rin listened, but Kagome and Inuyasha's voices conjointly giving answers sounded like static compared to his purr. That was completely clear over the chaos of her thoughts. Every word he said, and every emphasis of them.

She took a few deep breaths and realized she couldn't hide behind this menu forever. She lowered it slowly, and tried not to look too closely at him as she emerged from behind her would-be barrier. He was no longer watching her, but was instead keeping his eyes focused on Kagome as he asked her his questions. He seemed to be completely focused on what she had to say, and Kagome spoke animatedly in response. Rin noticed that there was an almost cold set to his features, and she wondered what that could possibly mean about his character. She tried to push those dramatic thoughts away as the appetizer arrived moments later.

They were small sweet potato cakes with grilled vegetable filling and Rin took this as an excuse to stuff a few in her mouth and not be expected to speak. Maybe she could get away with this for the rest of the meal. She was not certain what would happen if he tried to question her, or even if his eyes fell onto her again. She might tremble to pieces for all she knew. The conversation stopped for a few minutes as everyone except Rin took samples of the cakes, commenting on the flavor or texture, or quality in Sesshomaru's case, and then taking more. Thus, the dinner commenced.

...

Kagome and Inuyasha were trying really hard, she would give them that. She knew Kagome had seen her figuratively drooling over Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha seemed to have caught on to the awkwardness in their first meeting. The two had been jumping to fill any and every silence at the table determinedly before the dinners arrived and after the appetizer and all related comments had been eaten they had kept the silence at bay. They made a good team, she had to admit. Sesshomaru continued to be the image of polite curiosity about their relationship, engaging them easily with queries about their budding relationship. He managed to keep interest, while still appearing distant. It was a practiced routine, she could tell.

Rin stayed quiet, balancing between nodding and small murmuring agreement when appropriate, and laughing lightly when necessary. Sesshomaru had not looked to her again since being seated. She desperately craved for his gaze on her again, while at the same time being terrified of how she might react to his attention.

Rin decided about half-way through the appetizers that she liked Inuyasha, very much. He doted on Kagome, who looked at him as if he were the only man to have ever lived. They were clearly in love, and it was seemed mostly permanent. She never would have expected to know anyone that wasn't a demon to have dated a demon; it wasn't exactly frowned upon, but they tended to stick to their own. Almost resolutely. So hence establishments like this one, and the open curiosity at Kagome's and Rin's presence there. She actually noticed now, since Sesshomaru arrived, no one seemed to be looking at them any more.

Which only brought her mind back to the god-like creature next to her. He was breathtaking and gorgeous and sexy all wrapped into one package. He had a indigo crescent moon marking on his forehead, and his movements were far too graceful for human standards. Plus, there was that flash of red she had seen so briefly in his eyes when he had first entered. That was definitely not human.

"So what are you studying Rin?" Inuyasha asked as their dinners were brought by the quiet human server. Rin held back her cringe at finally being brought into the conversation fully. 'Damn! I've been spotted! Oh well, he's just being a good boyfriend, may as well help him out.' She thought to herself reluctantly, but knowing she needed to be Kagome's support. She answered him quickly, her voice surprising her in its steadiness: "I'm, um, a Demon History major right now." Inuyasha looked impressed. "Interesting. You know, my brother and I grew up during the feudal era." Rin looked to Sesshomaru, her face lighting up in excitement. Ignoring, for a moment, that she was both glad and slightly horrified to have a reason to look at him without needing to hide. He was watching her as well, but his eyes were no longer probing. The mild interested expression he had given to Kagome, the one she suspected he was so-well practiced in, displayed instead.

She tried to hold back an instant need to interrogate the two brothers thoroughly. There were very few demons left from the feudal era; it had been a brutal time for their kind and those who had survived had become hermits long ago, distrusting the human race in its entirety. It was, in fact, her main area of study currently. She was instantly plagued with fear at how to keep herself in check in light of this newfound information. Her history nerd won in the end, and she lit up in excitement after an impulsive decision to throw caution to the wind. "Really?!" she cried, clasping her hands together and glancing excitedly between the two half-brothers. "I just took a feudal-focused history course last semester, and the teacher was obsessed with the feudal era! It actually inspired me to focus on post-feudal era human-demon relations! Could I maybe ask either of you a few questions some time about your experiences through time? I find it so fascinating, and so few ancient demons are left, much less willing to discuss their pasts!" Rin gushed, looking hopefully at a cockily-grinning Inuyasha and his half-brother, who was still focused on her.

As Rin met those dazzling eyes again she saw a quick flash of the crimson from earlier, and for a moment the cold countenance fell away. His face was open to her suddenly, and he appeared to be all fire and passion. Rin was instantly struck dumb by the fault in his facade. Luckily, Inuyasha did not seem to notice as he leaned back in his chair, amused by Rin's small outburst of curiosity. "Well sure, I wouldn't mind at all! How about you, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha turned his self-satisfied grin on his brother. As Inuyasha addressed him, the curtain fell over him seamlessly, and he was again distanced from her. He gave his brother a stern glance. Rin wilted, thinking she may have offended him. There were a lot of theories that era is what had spurred human-demon conflict to this day, and she had just thrown a figurative live grenade by digging into it.

"I don't enjoy speaking on the past much." His voice was cold and final, and Rin tried not to look too upset by his answer. The history nerd in her had reared its head way too early, and now she felt she had made an obvious faux pas. "Rin's a huge history freak. Don't get her started on the feudal era, she'll never shut up." Kagome supplied happily to Sesshomaru's flat rejection. Rin felt herself blushing, but Inuyasha laughed and began asking her questions about her courses all the same as they all continued to eat. Sesshomaru remained quiet while Inuyasha did his best to not speak with his mouth full as he traded questions with Rin.

Rin felt incredibly conscious of all of her eating behaviors, more so than she ever had. She also tried to keep sync with Inuyasha's questions, while utilizing her limited knowledge of table manners. Kagome was eating as well, dainty as ever, and Rin was immediately jealous of the ease with which she was able to appear so feminine while chewing her chicken and also keeping a seamless part in her and Inuyasha's conversation about their respective current studies.

Come to find out he was in the business program with Kagome, taking it mostly on a lark, and that's how they had met. Rin eyes kept straying towards Sesshomaru throughout. He was completely captivating even when performing normal behaviors like eating or drinking. Somehow, when he did it, it was invigorating. "So you're seeing someone, right Rin?-Oof!" Inuyasha had asked between bites, and Kagome had clearly elbowed him in the side under the table, giving Rin an apologetic look. Rin gave her a small smile, and nodded. "It's okay 'Gome. Yeah, I was seeing someone up until this morning actually. He decided today that we weren't "going anywhere" and we're no longer seeing each other." She tried to infuse her voice with as little emotion as possible, but her eyes began to sting slightly as she felt reluctant tears forming. She took a moment to pat her lips with her napkin, blinking furiously to keep them from spilling over. It was still pretty fresh she supposed, and maybe she wasn't as numb to it as she had initially thought.

Inuyasha grimaced as she answered and Kagome shook her head, looking exasperated at her boyfriend's tactlessness. "Sorry Rin, I didn't know-" Inuyasha immediately apologized, sincerity in his tone. "No, no, it's fine." She waved her hand dismissively, cutting off his unneeded apology, as she regained her control over her tears. "You didn't know, I had asked Kagome to keep it quiet. I didn't want to ruin the evening. I'll be fine, really." "Clearly, he made an incredibly stupid decision letting you go. You should not waste your time mourning such a worthless boy." Everyone at the table turned to look at Sesshomaru as he spoke for the first time since shutting down Rin's request. His tone was a bit rough, and Rin swore she heard something like anger in it. He was looking at her again, for the first time since she and Inuyasha had begun speaking. His expression was serious and cold, but his eyes were glowing with a wildfire that Rin was sure would engulf her if she kept contact with them. She found she had to look away blushing deeply, slightly ashamed of herself.

She had never reacted to a male this way before, it was all so surprising and new and intense. "Yeah, he wasn't too great near the end I suppose." she mumbled back, feeling the need to break the slightly tense silence. Kagome and Inuyasha were watching him closely, Kagome like a weary hawk and Inuyasha with a glitter of amusement. "Well, yes, he never deserved you I suppose." Kagome answered stiffly, attempting to navigate away from the oddly impassioned response from Sesshomaru. She took another bite and Inuyasha followed suit, wisely choosing to let her handle it.

They finished their meal in a somewhat comfortable silence after that, and as the server brought the the dessert menu they all ordered something from it. Rin only ordered something because everyone else had, her stomach was spinning far too quickly for her to actually be hungry. She had picked at her food, attempting to look as if she were eating it. She was still feeling embarrassed by her rude intrusion of asking about their past, and still confused by Sesshomaru's intense response to her breakup. It certainly did not fit in with the personality he had so far presented. Dessert arrived, and Rin spoke up as Inuyasha and Kagome took turns tasting each other's pastries. "So, um, Sesshomaru, what do you do?" Sesshomaru's eyes glanced over his fork, halfway to his mouth, and he responded simply. "I head one of the leading demon-advocate law firms in the country." Rin felt her eyebrow cock in response to the almost haughty tone to his voice. He took his bite, and she glanced away so as to not drool over the tines of the fork as they slipped between his lips.

"Wow, that sounds really rewarding." She could hear the slight sarcasm in her own tone, finally able to get a purchase on him. "Yes, it can be." "Mhmm...I suppose that would make sense for a demon of your longevity. Of course, only specializing in demon-centered cases could make one think that someone in that line of work might be more inclined to support all of the separation struggles humans and demons still face." She spoke blithely as she took a casual bite of her tiramisu. She glanced up at him, and was surprised to see him watching her still. For a moment, she feared she had overstepped a boundary. His face was closed, his lips in a thin straight line, and his eyes were shuttered.

Then, his lips twitched, and one corner curled up in a smirk. "Well, I could understand how one might perceive that. It seems you have me pegged Miss Kimura. I hope my profession does not pigeonhole me into being some kind of classist." Rin felt courage at his clearly bemused response. Her pulse rushed, and her bravery increased as she responded, voice almost coy: "Please you can just call me Rin. I wouldn't imagine you could be pigeonholed unless of course you were also superbly rich and egotistical. Then, I might say, one could possibly be confused for some sort of elitist." His smirk widened slightly, and she could see his canines were elongated as well, similar to Inuyasha's but more pronounced.

She had a sudden and unbidden thought of what those teeth would feel like grazing over her skin. The image this elicited made her blood run warm. His eyes were glittering now, and he made no motion to respond to this as Inuyasha burst out laughing. "Oh man, you nailed him on the head! You're a keeper Rin, I'm so happy Kagome brought you along, we're going to get on just fine." He continued laughing, as Rin finally broke eye contact with Sesshomaru, and smiled shyly. She was spared having to respond as the server returned with the check. Sesshomaru held his hand out swiftly, and the server placed it in his hand and bowed as he moved away. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow at him and held his hand out clearing his throat. "I'll take care of that." Sesshomaru ignored him and slipped a card into the padded holder. "It's the least I can do for a delightful evening brother." "Well, I suppose it might counter the circulating idea you're elitist." Inuyasha countered, folding his arms across his chest. Sesshomaru growled at him warningly, and Rin felt electricity crackle across her skin at the primal reaction it drew from her. The server returned and took the check. When he returned Sesshomaru signed the bottom of the receipt, and handed it back to him. The speed of his movements demonstrated again his unnatural instincts. The server nodded to all of them and wished them a good night and Sesshomaru stood, sliding his chair back in behind him.

Inuyasha stood as well, holding his hand out to Kagome as he helped her up and tucked her chair back in once she vacated it. Rin felt slightly awkward as she stood and straightened her skirt. She followed them out of the restaurant, and as they exited onto the sidewalk, Sesshomaru turned to Inuyasha. "Will you be needing a ride home brother?" he asked, and Inuyasha shook his head. "Nah. Gonna walk the ladies home, you know, make sure they're safe." Kagome huffed, and gave him a faux glare. "Right, because we're incapable of making it home on our own. I wonder how we got here all by ourselves." Inuyasha smiled and had the decency to look slightly abashed. "Yeah, besides I'd like to get to know Rin better." Inuyasha continued, his eyes darting to his brother. "You know, she's important to you Kagome, and spending some more time with her will give me an opportunity to learn more about you."

He slid over to Rin and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Besides, she's just cute as a button." He poked her nose gently. Rin squeaked, completely shocked by Inuyasha's suddenly forward behavior. There was a low growl, and Rin was jerked forward slightly as Sesshomaru tugged his brother off of her by his shirt collar. "You still have a lot to learn about keeping your hands to yourself brother." His voice was low and dangerous, and as Rin glanced at him, she was surprised to see the obvious anger in his eyes and face. "I apologize for him, and can guarantee he will behave on his walk." He was speaking directly ro Rin now, who felt a bit awkward. She hadn't really found it offensive, or even invasive, but apparently Sesshomaru had somehow.

Inuyasha shrugged non-commitaly and pulled himself from his brother's grasp. Sesshomaru turned to Kagome and bowed formally. "It was a pleasure meeting you Kagome, but I must take my leave unfortunately. I still have a bit of work to do. You seem to be able to keep my brother in check. Which is exactly what he needs." Sesshomaru shot a glare to Inuyasha who made a "feh" noise as he moved away and grabbed Kagome, giving her a smooth kiss. Rin looked away from them, blushing slightly at Inuyasha's forwardness.

Sesshomaru took a step towards her, instantly very close, and clearly invading her personal space, which he had just wanted to defend a moment before. Rin stood her ground, looking up at him through her lashes. His piercing eyes were looking down on her, and they reflected the street lights in a dashing way. "It was nice meeting you too, Rin." His voice was purring at her, and it made her heart thump. "It was very nice to meet you as well. Thank you for dinner." She looked away from him, but she knew he was still watching her. "Yes, well, it's not often I get to buy dinner for a gorgeous woman. One must take advantage of such situations as often as possible." Rin felt her face heating. He thought she was gorgeous? Against her better judgement she looked at him, having to tilt her head upwards slightly to meet his eyes. She was surprised to see them crinkled slightly, and his lips were tilted in a small smirk again. She saw a bit more resemblance to Inuyasha in him suddenly.

She felt a fire kindle in the pit of her stomach as she answered boldly: "I have a hard time believing that." The words just came out, and she was taken aback to hear the wryness in her voice. He cocked an eyebrow slightly, and she saw his smile widen slightly. "What makes you say that?" his voice sounded as smug as his smile.

Rin kept his gaze, feeling the boldness emerging from her easily. "Well, successful job, nice suit, one might think you're more than familiar with taking out gorgeous girls." His eyes widened slightly, and she thought she may have actually caught him off guard. His initial demeanor was so confident, she hadn't thought he was the type of person to be caught off-guard by anyone. A small voice cheered in the back of her head. There was a second of silence, where Rin wondered if she had gone a step too far once again. His smile widened a bit more before he answered. He took a small step forward, and the distance between them shrunk even more. She could smell him from this distance. He wore a cologne of some type, but there was another scent beneath it. Something woody and primal. She tried not to close her eyes as she breathed him in.

He spoke and his voice was soft this time, soothing almost. "I said you were a gorgeous woman, not a girl. And funnily enough, most would chose to form their opinion of me around my demon heritage instead of my life-style choices. Your choice in how you fault my character is interesting Rin. Might there be any way I could try to change your mind?" He still looked amused, and Rin felt herself waver for a moment. "I suppose I should not be so quick to judge. What would you propose?" she asked, still intently keeping his gaze. "I was a bit harsh earlier when you expressed your interest in the feudal era. What if I were to give you an interview? The feudal era from a demon's perspective." The idea instantly wiped away her newly discovered sass, and she felt herself brighten immediately. The history geek reigned supreme now.

"Oh my goodness, that would be amazing! There's so few accounts of demon-based information on that era, and no one seems to want to talk about it! Yes, please, that would be so helpful for my research!" She gushed at him, leaning in as she became more excited. "Well, I'd be happy to help you with something like that. I'll have a free lunch-hour next Wednesday. How does noon sound?" "That would be great!" Rin nodded happily, clutching her hands together in front of her mouth. "Here's my card-" He handed her a cream-colored business card that Rin took eagerly. "-make sure you let them know who you're meeting with at the lobby desk." Rin slipped the card into her small bag, making sure it fit into the pocket sewn into the side. "Of course, thank you so much again!" Rin looked back up to him as she closed her purse.

His smile was still there, but this time it reached his eyes, and she had thought he couldn't look any more handsome, but the unexpected kindness of his smile proved her wrong. "It's my pleasure. I'll have enough time to find the best way of defending my character." Rin cursed herself as she felt her cheeks flush darkly, and she felt her mouth dry up. "Ready, Rin?" Kagome called, drawing her attention away from him and her inability to reply. "O-Oh yes, I'm ready." She glanced back at him, and he nodded slightly to her. "Have a nice night Rin. I look forward to our interview." She swore she saw his eyes travel down her body slowly, and she began trembling under his scrutiny. "Y-Yes, I'll see you Wednesday." She nodded back, and using all of her will, turned away from him and back to Kagome, who was looking between the two of them smugly.

Sesshomaru bid goodbye to Kagome as Inuyasha called out to him as he headed down and around the corner to the small parking lot on the side of the building: "I owe you a dinner, you're not escaping this time!" Sesshomaru waved a hand over his shoulder, and kept walking.

Inuyasha then turned on Rin and grinned. "You must be magic or something, I've never seen him so worked up." Kagome snorted and crossed her arms. "That was worked up? The man's a cold fish." Inuyasha laughed and put his arm around her. "Nah, believe it or not he never smiles, much less flirts. Come on Rin, tell me how you did it!" He and Kagome began walking, and Rin walked next to Kagome, her head spinning. "I don't know…" she murmured. Kagome punched her arm lightly. "Well, you've got a date with him on Wednesday, you better bring it!" she laughed. Rin blanched. 'I'm in so much trouble…' she thought dismally.

AN: Oh boy, here we go again. So, I'm just waiting on my friend to get back to me on the status of destroyed computer. I doubt enough damage was done to not allow for ReBirth to be rescued, but fingers crossed just in case. On a side note too, I took quite a few liberties with Sesshomaru's character in this, in that he will be little to nothing like he is in Rumiko's content. It's a new take for me, but I wanted to try something a little different with it. Also, 50 Shades will only loosely be involved in this, mostly I felt it was a little too similar to ignore it and not give the nod to James. Of course, any material with S+M content seems to have to nod to 50 nowadays, which is extremely frustrating honestly, since it was a terrible representation of the community at large. Oh well, I don't want copyright lawyers on my ass, and I shouldn't hate because I didn't think of monopolizing it first. *shrugs* As always, love to T-Bone for all his help. Okay, love you guys, see you soon!