UnBound Memories

Thanks for kind reviews everyone. I plan on having a twist eventually, so I hope you will still enjoy. As for spellings of items, I have checked three or four different places, and went with the ones that appeared most frequently.

Disclaimer: No, don't own the show or characters. OC mine, though.

Chapter 2

Not thoughts. Memories

He could still hear InuYasha yell from behind him, "But what did Naraku do to you?"

That was exactly what Sesshomaru wanted to know himself. His head hurt, his chest and stomach ached, and he felt unsettlingly timid, though he had put up as good a front as front as he could manage in front of his brother and the others. Naraku had said something about a blocked memory, but what on earth lurked inside of his mind capable of making him want to tremble at the sight of InYasha and his ninjen companions.

Sesshomaru could sense Rin and Jaken below and so returned to his human form, landing soundlessly in front of Jaken and Rin.

"Milord," Jaken said, bowing his head, "you've returned."

Sesshomaru tried to look straight ahead, to not see the questioning eyes of the twelve-year-old just beyond. He tried not to pay attention as she scanned behind him and to either side, trying to find her friend.

"Kohaku is not here, Rin," Sesshomaru answered, finally looking down at her, taking a few steps closer. "He is still alive, but this Sesshomaru failed to rescue him."

He could see the tears welling up in her eyes, and for the first time since she had become a part of his company while still a young girl of seven, he knelt in front of her and wrapped his arm around her. "I promised you I would save him, Rin. Has this Sesshomaru ever broken such a vow?"

The twelve-year-old shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, whatever fear she might have had about this sudden embrace vanishing immedieately.

"Be cautious that you do not injure yourself on my armor," he said as she held herself tightly to him. Sesshomaru wondered by her reaction how long she had waited for him to show her some kind of attention, some more affection than he would have a stray dog. Five years she had been his ward, and in those years, he could not think of a time he had offered her a simple hug merely because she needed it.

What was so different now?

Rin released Sesshomaru and ran off to Ah-Un, singing as she always did. She had such faith in him. Would she still if she knew InuYasha had to save the great lord of the West?
He watched her play, her hope obviously restored and a bright smile on her cherubic young face. Yes, he would save her crush. That crush was quickly proving that this boy might be the only person capable of usurping Sesshomaru's place in the girl's heart. That thought saddened him, crossing his mind as it did, that as she grew, his importance would diminish and another would take his place.

It saddened him?

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at his own thoughts. He really was sad to watch her grow up. Why? He had never cared much about it, or thought on it before. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt a slight ache beginning in his head. Almost instantly, his hand moved to his forehead, grasping, attempting to will away the pain within his skull.

*************

He heard the sound of a bear demon growling while patrolling his father's lands. Sesshomaru froze and smirked for a moment at the idea of a battle. A bear demon was not much of a challenge for him, but maybe it would be worth releasing a little tension. His father had just gotten married to Izayoi, and Sesshomaru wanted nothing more than to kick the asses of every noble who dared to say an unkind word to the woman. When one of the wolf demons from the northern lands dared to suggest that he kill her, or at the very least ensure that no offspring ever made it to adulthood, it had taken all the restraint the demon had not to rip the wolf's vile throat out where he stood in the palace ballroom.

When Sesshomaru heard the children's screams and cries of battle, he immediately ran into the direction of the noise. With speed like his, Sesshomaru was able to arrive directly behind the bear demon, seeing as the bear cocked its head to the side that it held the body of a human child firmly in its jaws.

Below the bear, several children dressed as demon slayers were attempting to fight the demon, trying to get it to release their friend. Sesshomaru was both impressed and disturbed by the children's ability to remain so calm despite the danger their friend was in. No normal children are supposed to be this cold, not when a friend was so near death.
With one flick of his wrist, Sesshomaru sent a bright green energy whip through the other demon, slicing the bear in half. Just as quickly as he had made this movement, Sesshomaru teleported at the front of the bear in order to catch the child as it fell from the demon's vice-like jaws.

It was at that moment a voice yelled out from the forest. "Let go of him, demon!"

Sesshomaru raised a near-perfect eyebrow as this man ran from the coverage of the trees.

"Sensei," one of the children called out, stepping in front of Sesshomaru. "Sensei, no."

"Is this how you show your gratitude?" Sesshomaru asked, as the child in his arms shifted, turning his white robe crimson as more blood poured out of the tiny body. He eased the child to the ground, hoping to better assess the damage, ignoring the sensei as he knelt beside the boy.

"Why did you help him?" the human man asked as he approached cautiously, his own sword drawn.

"Because I imagine at least half of these children, possibly even this one, might be my vassals." Sesshomaru gingerly turned the boy to see where the bear's teeth had broken through the skin. There would almost certainly be some scarring, but with treatment, the boy could easily recover.

"Sensei," the child who had been brave enough to intervene earlier said. "This is Prince Sesshomaru, son of the Inu No Taisho, Lord Touga. And he is my liege."

The sensei now knelt on the opposite side of the boy, his brown eyes looking deeply into those of the inu before looking down to show his gratitude in a slight bow. "Thank you." He brought his eyes downward and pulled some bandages out of the bag he wore at his side. "My name is Jin Umezu."

**********

"Milord," Sesshomaru heard a grating voice say, as though testing the waters for Sesshomaru's anger. "Milord are you ill?"

Sesshomaru realized that though he was still standing, the heels of this hands seemed to be trying to press directly through his skull to massage his brain. "No, Jaken, this Sesshomaru is fine. Naraku attempted an attack, but the damage will heal."

Jaken nodded, though Sesshomaru felt certain the toad doubted his words. He, himself, knew that he certainly didn't believe what was coming out of his mouth, just as much as he refused to believe the thoughts that had run around in his head.

Not thoughts. Memories.

Someone else's memories. Surely Sesshomaru had never been kind to children, never defended his stepmother. That thought alone made Sesshomaru want to shudder.

*********

Sesshomaru waved goodbye to the children at the training compound as they returned to their orphanage. Sensei Umezu ran the demon slayer compound with his blood and extended family, training the local orphans in skills that would help them in years to come. For his family, this was a mission to expand their own band, but for Jin, this was a calling. He loved children, and he wanted to ensure that these orphans would have a method of providing for and protecting themselves into adulthood.

Jin knew each and every one of the children, cared for them all, and he told Sesshomaru over and over of his appreciation for the demon's regular visits to help train the would be demon slayers. There was never any real concern for Sesshomaru's safety as he was far too powerful for the children to do any damage to him, but he provided a safe opponent for them as he was more than capable of controlling his power.

As he stood, saying goodbye to the children, he could smell blood: Jin's.

Sesshomaru looked over at the sensei. "You are hurt."

"I was sparring with father to demonstrate for the children who weren't facing off against you. Father's sword nicked me." He raised a thick, strong hand, showing Sesshomaru the thin slice on his palm.

Sesshomaru grabbed the hand that was extended toward him and placed it to his mouth, extending the skilled tongue, lapping up the blood and running over the edges of the cut.

"Sess..." Jin said, voice failing to finish the demon's name. Sesshomaru looked up, tongue still tracing the cut, then moved his mouth away from the demon slayer.

"It will help it heal faster." Sesshomaru looked down at the slowly closing wounds. "You should feel better."

Then Sesshomaru placed his lips just below the cut and kissed the hand he held in his own.
"What was that for?" Jin asked, a delightful shade of pink rising to his cheeks.

With a smirk, Sesshomaru answered, "To make me feel better."

He pulled on the hand with enough force to bring the sensei closer. Sesshomaru couldn't help but smile at the startled look in those chocolate and honey-colored eyes as he wrapped his other arm around Jin, who soon joined in the embrace as Sesshomaru slid his right hand up to caress the demon slayer's cheek with his knuckles before stealing a chaste kiss.

Sesshomaru then felt Jin pull away from his lips and move downward to the demon's jawline and neck, a far easier level for the shorter man than trying to once again meet Sesshomaru's lips.

"Is this what my son has become?" a sneering voice said from the edge of the training field. "A bitch for a demon?"

Jin pulled away from Sesshomaru and looked over at the gray-haired man while the demon looked over at his lover's father, trying not to give him a vicious glare that would surely have made Jin angry. It didn't matter that he told Sesshomaru over and over how much he enjoyed his company, how much he loved him.

Family was first for the Umezu family, and no one, demon or human, was likely to change that.

**********

Sesshomaru had collapsed this time and once again found himself surrounded, though it was by the toad, the girl and the dragon's two heads.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said, tentatively putting a hand on his forehead. "You are frightening Rin."

Sesshomaru opened his mouth to answer, but found no words came. He only took the girl into his arms once again, not to comfort her, but to find comfort himself. She seemed to understand far better than Jaken, who looked frightened, not in his usual, spastic way. No, this time, it was a fear that showed his faith was shaken, his faith that Lord Sesshomaru was at all times beyond pain and emotion.