Rin is Rin: My Forever with Lord Sesshoumaru by Emiko

Chapter 1: Destiny

I emerge from my lurking to entertain with this story of Rin and, through her eyes, the life of Sesshoumaru. No profit is made through the telling of this tale and all rights and credits remain with Rumiko Takahashi.

At this time, this story remains unbeta’d as I try my hand at finding the time to write in between work, crafting cosplay and a double major and minor and cannot make promises of regular updates. But Rin bugged me and I had to make it known; her story needed to be told. This will be S/K, but from another’s point of view (Rin’s POV) and with a slow progression, due to it beginning at Rin’s meeting of Sesshoumaru. Chapter lengths will vary based on events in Rin's life. Please excuse my mistakes as I feel this story out with you.

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I met my destiny one day, in the forest. He was battered, bloody . . . beautiful. I had never met a demon beforehand, but I knew all the stories that adults told to children, ones my late parents told to me – stories of boogeymen that inspired the desired fear and respect. However, it was bandits that had taken my parents’ lives, quite human, so I had never fallen in line with, nor understood, the prejudice. I was an impertinent child, or so the village said.

I stayed in my parent’s abandoned hut after their untimely death, instead of under the care of one of the villagers. None truly understood the effects of loss on a child my age, so thought me simple or damaged – a burden. Caring for myself had been a short learning curve, as hunger often inspires desperation. I got creative in my methods of obtaining basic needs. The villagers did not take too lightly the thievery, even if done by one so young, one so needy, so I often suffered the brunt of my failure to not get caught. But living a life of one’s own choices does have its perks, its freedoms. No one questioned my actions or eccentrics’, so slipping into the forest for hours at a time was no worry for anyone. It was on one of these “escapes”, as I had taken to calling them, that I came across Him.

As I had mentioned, he was battered and bloody, leaning against a tree and holding on to what was left of his left arm. Yet, there was a regal aura to him. To me, it outshone the sun and, like a moth to a flame, I was drawn in.  He, of course, had no use for me and sensed no real threat, so treated me with disdain for my efforts, but never the hate that was so attributed to his kind. I had no disillusions of his strength; knew he could kill me with little effort, even in his state. But with the staying of his hand and allowing this child her way, he destroyed all preconceived notions I ever had about demon kind. Did I now think all demons the same? Huh, never that. Just as there are humans who seek the pain of others, so to would there be demons that seek the same.

So I stayed close to nurse him, albeit from a distance. I brought him food I had stolen, water from a nearby stream, built a warming fire for him at night. He refused all my attempts, of course. But I never relented, never met him without a smile. He was the only one that never raised a hand to me, the one all the stories said should have. He became my escape and I never wanted to leave his side.

The villagers had caught on to my increased thieving and had one day given me a harsh beating in retaliation. Never had I wanted to stay away from my demon more than that day. He never showed signs of caring before, but the shame of it was something I wanted to hide. I went anyway, smiled anyway and for the first time, he noticed me – or, rather, noticed the injuries. He asked who had caused them.

Since my parents’ deaths, I had not spoken much, as no one cared to listen to a burdensome child, however, I wished to answer him, I just had not the right words. Do I lie and possibly damage his trust in me? Do I answer truthfully and possibly damn the villagers, if this demon had any care at all for my hurt? Not knowing, I just smiled, truly happy he even asked. He was frustrated at my lack of cooperation - I assumed he is one not often defied – but settled quickly into his usual lack of interest in my affairs. But I left that day truly happy. Since the day my parents had passed, this was the first time anyone had cared.