I Do Not Own InuYasha

Rin watched as the daiyōkai left her when it was late afternoon, he hadn't spoken that much, she had chattered away; rather nervously when he was awake. She didn't know what to say to him, that was the problem. So she had just said everything that was on her mind as she had gone about dumping out pots and switching things around.

Sesshōmaru had asked a single question about her curriculum proposal, as that was why he had agreed to hiring, and she had launched into an in depth, intense discussion about yōkai and human inconsistencies for education and how yōkai children were not able to succeed outside their prefecture because their education was from the Meji Era; which had been fine, but this was the twenty first century. Sesshōmaru had listen quietly as she explained her plans, her intentions, and her desires to learn yōkai culture. He had nodded and occasionally made a sound to agree or disagree with her. And before she knew it he nodded as if satisfied which had her shocked, he said he had made the right hire and now he was certain his sister-in-law to-be was gone.

Rin had laughed, he had nodded, thanked her for the coffee and left with the promise to get her a list of trustworthy contractors before he had disappeared in a ball of energy.

Rin was impressed by him, he had not uttered more than a handful of words and yet the conversation had felt more intellectually stimulating and relevant than any of the debates she had ever had with Kohaku. She thought that was strange, but there was something about Sesshōmaru's silence which had been more thought provoking than Kohaku's blatant counter arguments.

She was happy! Very happy with this morning, and more pleased that she had held a decent conversation.

Opening her fridge she sighed at the lack of food which had her shutting it, she would have to go to the market and collect things. Glancing outside at the pouring rain she sighed, it would have to be now, she couldn't go a night without eating. Getting dressed properly she grabbed her boots as she left her house and ran to the truck. Starting that up she cautiously drove the stick shift out of her driveway and down the road for the village.

She hadn't driven shift in so long she felt it best to go slow and steady on this empty road, she finally puttered into town and pulled up her phone to google where the market was. In a few turns she was there, which had her snatching her parking the truck carefully before running into the store so she didn't get drenched.

The store was sparse, but Rin expected that. In a village of so few humans and in the center of yōkai territory she wouldn't suspect them to have a lot of human food. At least yōkai no longer actively practiced in hunting humans, and the few that did were dealt with by the Inu no Taishō; something she found to be a comfort.

"I've never seen you here, lost human?" a quiet, deep voice asked. She jolted as she spun around to face a man with red eyes and long wavy hair. He looked rather sickly, but distinctly not human.

"N-N-No…" she stammered as she backed away from him.

"Naraku, leave the human, we have to go," a voice announced and the yōkai grunted before slinking after the voice. Rin was unnerved about how that yōkai had assessed her.

"That's Onigumo Naraku," a soft voice said behind her. Which had her tilting her head back to stare at a stunning specimen of a male. His hair was white and his skin a dark tan with brilliant violet eyes. "Hyakkikoumori Tsukuyomaru," he smiled kindly.

"Kobayashi Rin," she smiled as she greeted him.

"Right the new school teacher, you'll be teaching my hanyō," he smiled broadly.

"I look forward to it," she declared.

"Seems Sesshōmaru-sama once again found a good fit," Tsukuyomaru chuckled.

"Pardon?"

"Take no offense, the last few humans his father, the previous Inu no Taishō hired, they were less than stellar," Tsukuyomaru said as she walked to pick up things to eat.

"I see," she hummed.

"Hai, I was honestly relieved when Sesshōmaru-sama took over being Inu no Taishō," he admitted.

"He's very… quiet," Rin decided.

"You've met?"

"Hai, he's my neighbor," she explained.

"So you're who bought the Hamasaki place! My mate could not gleen that out of Ayame for all the sake in the world," he chuckled.

"I wasn't aware that was interesting?" she said.

"It's not, merely no one is brave enough to be neighbors with Sesshōmaru-sama, or to live at the Hamasaki place," he explained.

"Sesshōmaru-sama was kind enough to give me a list of reputable contractors," she informed him.

"Well then, when should I come out to see the place and the work to be done?" Tsukuyomaru asked. "He and I grew up together, only person he'd recommend you to hire is me," he nodded firmly.

"Oh really?" she chuckled as she picked up a few steaks.

"Hai," he nodded.

"Mmm, well, if your number is the one he left, I'll call tomorrow," she answered sweetly.

"I like you Kobayashi Rin," he decided with a predatory smile that made her laugh. "No fear of yōkai?"

"No, humans are just as cruel as yōkai so why fear you?" she asked.

"I really like you Kobayashi Rin, I'll have Shishinki swing by your place tomorrow, he's the principle, he'll be pleased to hear you're here."

"Not before noon," she said.

"Why?"

"Humans sleep, and I only just got her, literally yesterday and am still exhausted. I had intentions of going by the school on Monday to meet the principle, but if you send him my way, not before noon, please," she said.

"I'm aware humans sleep, I have a human for a mate," he pointed out.

"Mate?"

"Wife?"

"Oh, I didn't know yōkai mated humans," she said.

"It's a fluke when we do, Shiori, Jinenji, and InuYasha are the only hanyō in the village," he explained.

"Ah, I see."

"And you're one of seven humans in the village," he further explained. "You drive safe, I have to go collect my pup," he said.

"It was nice meeting you!"

"You as well, Kobayashi Rin!" Tsukuyomaru smiled as he disappeared in a flash of energy.

Sesshōmaru arrived at his home, happy it was empty and Kagome and InuYasha were not around. Changing he pondered how the hell Kobayashi Rin could possibly be THAT human. Sesshōmaru had never felt a desire to protect or hunt or hide until the onna. Why was this human any different from any of the hundreds of thousands he had met in his long lifetime?

Sesshōmaru wasn't his father, he wasn't so fool as to fall under the whims and enthrall of any onna, and especially not a human one. Perhaps Kobayashi Rin invaded his dreams and mind so thoroughly because of how he had rescued her. He had heard of yōkai sort of imprinting upon a weaker creature they saved; rare as that was. No matter, he would dwell upon the mystery of Kobayashi Rin on a day he had time to spare her an actual thought.

For now, he had meetings to attend to as Inu no Taishō, he would have to take care of several things because of his return and evade his persistent sister-in-law to-be. He'd have rather skewered Higurashi with his claws than be dragged into the motions of wedding planning. Between Izayoi and Kagome he wanted to murder all females; except Rin; who would come near him.

Izayoi and Kagome were examples of female he had been careful to never get involved in. the most meddlesome of females he had ever entangled himself with was Kagura, and he had escaped her grasp with ease. But Izayoi and Kagome were the pushy, bossy, demanding, noisy, loud, obnoxiously vibrant females he dreaded an association with. They were the type who would attempt to set him up on a blind date and he'd rather gouge his eyes out with his own claws than ever welcome them into his life.

If they invaded his life he'd be so royally fucked.

Unlike InuYasha and Tōga he did not desire to be pushed around or bossed or dominated, Sesshōmaru was simple. He had simple needs and simple desires, he was Inu no Taishō now and did not have time for the follies InuYasha and Tōga always seemed to find with their human lovers. Sesshōmaru wouldn't be surprised if those two missed WWIII because they were too busy obsessing about whatever fucking scheme their bitches would be planning.

"I like her!" a voice announced as he sat down in his study to review the documents he had missed when he had been in Tokyo.

"Who?" he asked idly as Tsukuyomaru; about the only one he truly considered a friend appeared. Sesshōmaru's honorary niece in tow, Shiori giggled as she ran for him which had him catching her with mokomoko before she face planted with his stone floors.

"Kobayashi Rin! You selected well, and I think Shishinki will like her as well," Tsukuyomaru stated as he moved his wings to sit.

Sesshōmaru inclined his head slightly at the declaration as he continued reading.

"I heard you visited her, that seems unusual, for you."

"I was evading the wedding," Sesshōmaru answered briskly. "She was surrounded by boars, and I needed coffee."

"Ah," his friend chuckled. Sesshōmaru was relieved that his friend didn't need more explanation than that. If this were anyone else he'd be having to explain that he just needed coffee and happened upon the human in his territory and couldn't let her die. The stink of her blood would annoy him; or so he'd have to claim when he'd actually just be greatly disturbed. He liked her scent too much, the scent of her blood though unnerved him; as she was human and blood was supposed to remain in her not be spilled on his property.

"Shizu is throwing a party for Shiori," Tsukukyomaru said softly.

Sesshōmaru lifted a brow.

"None of her classmates are come," he sighed. "I don't know what we have to do to make Shiori welcomed."

"I will be there," he decided. He was rather fond of his honorary niece and he did not mind Shizu's company.

"That'd be nice, but, I worry," Tsukuyomaru said looking at Shiori. Sesshōmaru looked at the little hanyō who was playing with A around his mokomoko.

Sesshōmaru didn't understand the worry, but then again he was a daiyōkai. And though Sesshōmaru detested InuYasha greatly, it had little to do with his hanyō brother's status as a hanyō, despite whatever he would say to his brother's face.

"I wish she was welcomed," Tsukuyomaru sighed. "She was sitting on the swings at the park, alone, when I collected her, the pups who had invited her to play had left her there."

"I see," he sighed. Perhaps he should have Kobayashi Rin and Shishinki together in a meeting so they could sort out a way to teach yōkai pups about hanyō pups and humans. Humans were a reality which they would have to learn to deal with since the days of devouring or killing annoying humans was no longer socially acceptable; sadly.

"You had better have given her my number for fixing up that place, Sesshōmaru," Tsukuyomaru informed him.

"Who else would do it?" Sesshōmaru asked drearily as he looked back at the marriage contract proposal between Ayame and Kōga.

"I was worried you would recommend Tōtōsai or someone."

"The human will perish before they fix it up to be habitable, why she is there as it is in that state is beyond me," he muttered. Sesshōmaru would never understand humans, or claim to. But he did admit he had had the most enjoyable time with Rin and having her debate him. It was nice not to have to attempt to articulate his ideas and for her to just understand his counter points to her points.