Overcoming Adversity

A fluff chapter for you. Sorry no Miroku and Sango this time around, but I caught up on our Sessy and Rin love. Action returning next chapter. Note: I post this without grammar check. Sorry. Husband returning At. Any. Moment. Noe foe for the fine tooth comb over the work tonight. EDIT: Please check youkostarr's modblog and vote on the new poll.

The little girl leaned forward closer to the glass panel that separated her from her chosen puppy. The little white fluff ball hopped back and forth excitedly, its warm brown eyes fixed on the child that it would soon be companion to

“Mari, are you sure this is the puppy you want?” the girl’s mother called from her position near thcesscessory wall. The pet store was not quite bustling with people, but there were many parents inside, walking equally eager children through its interior in search of that perfect pet.

“Yes, Mother! I want this one,” the girl confirmed. A store employee approached, gave a polite greeting to the young man beside the girl, then walked into the backroom to remove the pet from the partition that contained it beyond the glass.

The young man gave no response, staring intently at the scampering pets and overanxious mutts that bounded in the tiny space allotted to them. They were so happy, despite their containment, and seemed even more pleased at the slightest bit of attention offered to them. A mere glance sent the puppy yipping, hopping excitedly, regardless of the source of that glance, even the one that came from the expressionless inuyoukai before it.

Expressionless was not entirely correct. His glare could have wilted fresh roses. Sesshoumaru had walked into the store, on a mission, ignoring all humans around him. The smell however, proved that there were worse things to endure than peop
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Pet shops had to be one of the most disgusting places of business ever. The odor seemed not to bother any of the humans nearby, why, they were giggling and laughing. Smiling parents were led by overjoyed children from one end of the store to the other. Lovers standing side by side, sometimes hand in hand, debated over the perfect household pet to complete their family. They were all happy, all wearing ridiculous grinning faces.

The smell of animal feces and urine had assaulted his nose before he even entered. The pet shop’s open doors, and the cool afternoon breeze had blown the scent right to him. Nearby, not even ten yards away, were a cage full of kittens all hissing and fearfully watching him from their iron prison. The stink of moist cat litter and their waste was almost overpoweri He He had to love her tremendously to endure this. If his father could only see him now.

Sesshoumaru scoffed quietly. He didn’t even want to imagine what the old man would have said to him if he knew how quickly one human girl had changed his eldest son.

He really should have sent Jaken to do this, but the toad’s judgment was not sufficient when it came to gifts for his Rin.

The store clerk emerged from the room with the selected puppy and proceeded to check out the mother and her young daughter. Moments later, Sesshoumaru was aware of the man at his side.

“May I help you, sir, or are you simply looking?” he spoke in a kind voice. He seemed to notice the odd behavior of his cats, as all of the felines had backed into the corner of their cage furthest from Sesshoumaru, frantic and mewling pitifully, fur fluffed and standing tall.

“I have decided on that dog.” One finger was raised to point at the one calm animal of the bunch. Only one seemed to refuse making a fool of itself, seemed to make no attempt to impress the onlookers with blind loyalty and foolish whimpering. She simply lay there, head raised and paws stretched out in front of her while her large brown eyes observed the humans passing it by.

Was it possible for a dog to respect itself? Or was this feigned nobility, the result of a pup simply too lazy to get up and act as its pup mates did? Had he not sniffed the air for the scent of sickness or disease and confirmed all of the pups were healthy, he might have thought that was the case.

The young store clerk stared curiously at the young man in the expensive shirt, with the long flowing white hair that fell to his waist. He had pointed at the dog with nicely manicured nails attached to slender fingers almost feminine in quality. There was nothing feminine about the voice however, which sou muc much older than the face of the man it belonged to.

“Of course,” the store clerk replied, slipping into the rear room again to remove the pooch from its confined space. “Did you want to buy any supplies today as well, sir?”

Sesshoumaru glanced at the wall of supplies with an expression that slowly revealed itself to be disgust. His hand hovered inches from the wall that held a variety of collars in different fashions, some fluffy, others leather, some metal.

It’s a gift for Rin, he reminhimshimself, forcing his disobedient hand to remove a simple leather collar and matching leash. She wanted nothing expensive, so inexpensive is what she would get until he was told otherwise.

The clerk raised an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru when he laid both items on the counter to be priced. The simple raised eyebrow slowly mutated into something much more…surprised, something like disbelief when the credit card bearing Sesshoumaru’s name (and family name, oursourse) was slid across the counter.

“I knew you appeared familiar! Oh, wow, what are you doing in a little shop like this, Hogosha-sama? Did you know that the dog you picked is a mutt? I could direct you to a much finer animal if you’d like,” the clerk blurted out so quickly that the inuyoukai wondered when the human would stop to breathe.

Sesshoumaru’s cool amber gaze never wavered, not once shifting from the ‘mutt’ to the display of far more expensive and eager to please hounds. The one he had chosen, a Chin/Shikoku mix according to the perfectly understandable print above its window, was the one he intended to leave the store with. “I am aware of that.”

The tone of the customer’s voice told the shop worker that the breed of dog was not up for reconsideration. He swiped the credit card and returned it to its owner. As Sesshoumaru led the pup from the store on its brand-new leash, wearing a brand new collar, the shop employee could only wonder why such a rich man hadn’t gone to a private breeder instead of purchasing an untrained mutt from their little store.

***

Rin had not yet returned, but Sesshoumaru received a call that evening from his intended. She was ‘checking in’ as she called in, just out of concern to ask if everything was fine, and to let him know that she was almost home and merely a couple hours away. It would be dark by the time she arrived, so houldouldn’t be bothered with waiting up for her.

Of course, that meant that she’d might as well have said the opposite to Sesshoumaru, who patiently waited until he heard the sound of her car pulling up in front of the house, his excellent youkai hearing picking up the thud of the car closing. The front door opened and closed, her soft footfalls trailed down the hall and to her own oom,oom, where he imagined she had dropped her purse into the nearby chair, and begun to disrobe for bed.

His imagination was too detailed, because soon, he felt a growing hardness settle in his pants, his erection coming to life at the mere thought of Rin standing nearly naked in her bedroom, skirt pooled around her ankles, supple hips wearing nothing but a scant pair of silken panties (he was certain she wore silk, and if she didn’t, he would buy her plenty of them because she deserved nothing but the best).

His erection throbbed, the length of his maleness filling with blood, pulsing to full length and firmness in a matter of moments. It was a discomfort he could not ignore, but he also could do nothing to lessen the tight aching feeling, save pleasuring himself, and that was a level Sesshoumaru refused to lower himself to.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at the dog that lay at his feet, its chin resting upon the tops of its paws. She was a silent and patient dog and had remained out of the way since that afternoon when he returned with the animal. It didn’t’ bark, or make noise, although she had begun to growl at Jaken when the toad demon fussed at it.

Focusing his mind upon other subjects lessened the discomfort that had settled painfully hard in Sesshoumaru’s groin. The throbbing slowly subsided, and the pulsing length of his manhood had finally begun to soften and lose its firmness. He released a single breath, then resumed his reading as the final twitch and spasms left his groin.

For Rin… he would wait. It was not his right to decide when they should become intimate, but the right of the woman who could refuse him at any moment, at any time, for whatever reason.

Sesshoumaru was reminded of why he’d always thought courting was a joke, and had looked upon the ritual with scorn. What if Rin did decide life with a demon was impossible, and rejected him? What could he do…but move on, and put the humiliation behind him?

***

Kagome slid into the chair at her desk, glancing behind her at the hanyou still occupying her bed. The nearly fatal wounds were almost entirely healed, but Kaede had warned him to take it easy, and told Kagome to watch over the half demon to ensure he didn’t open up his closing injuries. Too much movement, and a little too much activity is all that it would take to tear open the healing flesh. He’d already done it once wrestling with Souta, causing blood to seep through the bandage and his t-shirt be Kae Kagome and her mother had forced him into bed again.

At the moment, Kagome and Inuyasha were alone. Souta had gone to a friend’s home to play videogames. Gramps was selling souvenirs to tourists outside. Mrs. Higurashi and Mariko were at the new apartment, one far from the substandard size of the previous one. Her renter’s insurance had given her a sizeable sum for her lost and destroyed belongings. That, combined with Inuyasha’s inheritance (a small amount of the funds in his trust had been set aside to be available only in times of emergency such as these), had given Mariko plenty of leeway for finding them a new home. They were practically in Miroku’s neighborhood, and much closer to the Higurashi Shrine.

“How’s the homework coming, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked while struggling with her own English essay. It wasn’t that Tokashi-sensei was bombarding them with work (far from it, she’d lightened considerably and given a fairly easy topic), but her concentration that made her suffer so much while trying to write. It was impossible to keep her mind focused on schoolwork when the object of her affection was laying behind her on her bed, as he had been for two nights.

Inuyasha sleeping in her bed, did not mean they had been together. Kagome slept with her mother while Inuyasha remained alone, bedridden by order of the demanding four women in his lives. His mother, Kagome, Kaede, and Mrs. Higurashi.

Not to say hdn’tdn’t like the pampering. No, that was good. Having food brought to him was also great. Not having to go to school? Even better.

“Keh! It’s worthless. Why the hell do we need to know English anyway,” he grumbled, nose deep in his textbook.

“Because everything is a lot more Westernized nowadays.” Kagome glanced back to wag her finger. “That’s entirely the wrong attitude to have about it, Inuyasha. English is everywhere now. In songs, on store signs, and in our shows.” The girl huffed softly and returned to her schoolwork.

Inuyasha groaned and laid back. “Now you sound like Tokashi-sensei.” When Kagome glanced back at him again, Inuyasha’s head was on the pillow, and the book splayed open, the pages and binding covering his face. His chest rose up and down gently, giving him the appearance of a peaceful sleep.

She sighed and shook her head. Rising from her seat, she crossed over to the bed and reached out to remove the book from Inuyasha’s sleep. If he was going to snooze during their afternoon study time, he could at least sleep comfortably. Besides, she enjoyed the angelic and innocent look of Inuyasha’s sleeping face, an expression she had only seen on rare occasion.

A clawed hand shot out and grabbed Kagome around the wrist, catching the young woman off guard. Before she could react, she was tugged forward and she found herself laying across Inuyasha’s body, the book untouched. “Did you really think I was sleep?” he asked from beneath the pages, using his other hand to remove it and toss it aside.

“Yes!” Kagome cried, shifting with intent to remove herself from her position until she noticed just where he had placed her, that his grip only caused her to squirm against him, and that the pressure of something warm and solid was between her thighs. Not just between her thighs, but pressing against the narrow strip of white cotton covering her private parts. When she glanced up and saw the look in those bright amber eyes, the intent of the hanyou beneath her was too plain and obvious. “Inuyasha…no!” she hissed in her most chastising voice, almost the way someone would scold a puppy that wet on the new carpet.

“We’re alone,” he remarked, ignoring the pressure of her hand against his chest. He smiled at her, and that alone was enough to make Kagome stay put. There was nothing devious in the smile, no ill intent, nothing harsh. It was the same way you would look at someone and smile when greeting them in the morning while heading about your usual routine.

If it had been one of those devious smiles, Kagome would haveten ten off of him immediately and continued her scolding, instead, she found herself smiling back at him.

“Your wounds aren’t healed yet, Inuyasha. Stop playing around.” Her voice wavered when she spoke, and she knew he realized that her excuse was only that. An excuse. Even if he were healed, she may have come up with something sounder and more solid to brush off his unspoken offer.

“Bullshit, it is,” he argued. “Besides, that isn’t what I want to do,” he told her, with a hint of suggestion to his tone. That hint was what captured Kagome’s full attention. He’d managed to say it without sounding like some sex-starved, horny teenager, which reassured her that that wasn’t what his mind was on.

Before she could ask what his mind was on, both hands had seized her by the hips and lifted her, bringing her higher upon his chest. She squeaked out in surprise when she realized his hands were beneath her skirt, on her bare flesh, and that the tip of one claw had just slid her panties at the side, causing them to hang from one thigh.

“Inuyasha, those were new!” The sound of her indignation brought laughter from him, and this time when he moved the squirming girl, it was from his chest to his face, and the touch of his tongue against her uncovered slit was more than enough to bring a halt to her complaint. His tongue parted her nether lips, felt the hairless and smoothly shavein, in, tasted liquid of her arousal as her natural response was to immediately become moist.

The ruined pair of panties were very quickly forgotten. She could no longer see his face, as her skirt covered all but the cascading flood of silver hair that washed over the pillow beneath his head, but she heard the steady lap of his tongue, parting her, twirling against the sensitive bud at its mercy. She cried out, her eyes squeezed shut, and her fists clenched tight as selt elt the rise of her pleasure steadily skyrocketing towards her peak.

“Inu…Inuyasha,” she breathed, another cry escaping her when the assault on her clitoris did not end. Every stroke of his tongue, each timed sweep of it to collect the moisture she released sent her body into spasm. “Uhhhhn…Inu…Inuyasha…right there!” His hand gently caressed hertocktocks, the only response he could give when his mouth was already occupied.

When she came, she came hard and felt as if the breath had been taken from her. It spread down her spine, throbbed and ached unbelievably, then exploded in a burst of white-hot pleasure, warm and tingling, tightening her limbs and every muscle. She cried out, and hard Inuyasha’s growl of approval beneath her, felt him lapping steadily at her, which only increased her pleasure.

She was still breathless when he laid her beside him. Her chest rose and fell quickly, glazed grey eyes watching him while a soft smile spread over her face. Every limb that had felt tense, was now loose and relaxed. He didn’t need to ask her if he’d done well. He could see it with his own eyes.

“I didn’t want sex,” he explained quietly, so uncharacteristically unlike him that Kagome’s stupor wore off quickly. “When we make love, Kagome, it’s not gonna be here. It’s gonna be in a place that’s ours, that we bought together. Got that?” he asked, eyeing her seriously.

“Y-yes.”

Inuyasha got up from the bed and walked to the door, intending to stop at the washroom to clean his face and brush his teeth. It wouldn’t do to walk around with the scent of Kagome’s sex on his face for the rndernder of the day. At the door, he paused, then glanced over his shoulder. “Kagome?”

“Yeah, Inuyasha?”

“Change your panties before your family gets back here.”

Kagome mock-scowled and threw the pillow at him, but he had already darted out into the hall.

***

The sensation of a cool but unusually firm sponge pressing against her cheek awakened Rin that morning. Startled, the woman opened her eyes and nearly rolled out of the bed in her effort to distance herself from the cold object. With one hand, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then peered into the darkness of the room. It was not yet dawn, and only the moonlight shining in from the balcony offered any illumination for her to see by.

It hadn’t been a sponge, or even anything like it that touched her cheek. What Rin was looking at was a small puppy, with large shining eyes, and fluffy white fur. In the darkness, she could only assume the color to be pure white, when it stood out so clearly for her to see.

“A puppy?” Had Sesshoumaru…yes, he had. It surely wasn’t Jaken who had placed this creature here in her room.

The puppy licked her fingers, and she scooped it up into her arms with a smile on her face. What a lovely and sweet wake-up call.

If the pup was here, then it could have only gained access one way. Sesshoumaru was awake, and she wished to speak to him about his continued and generous efforts.

***

Sesshoumaru had never been one for long rests. Three hours suited him plenty, and sometimes less. As a youkai, a nightly sleep was as necessary as eating human food. He did it when he wanted too, not because he needed it. Rin looked so uncomfortable at the dinner table with Sesshoumaru sitting nearby with an empty place, that he forced down Jaken’s cooking and suffered with it.

Well, it wasn’t as much as suffering as it was simply unnecessary and bothersome. He preferred his meat raw. That also couldn’t be done with Rin at the table, likely to be unable to stand the sight of it, no matter how impeccable his dining habits were.

Sesshoumaru’s fine youkai senses picked up the sound of footsteps and the soft panting of breath in the hall. Rin attempting to tiptoe to his study to see if the light of his lamp was shining beneath the door most likely. The puppy was with her, being carried.

The lights were out, and he heard Rin’s sigh of disappointment. Perhaps she thought he had placed the puppy just inside her door, then returned to bed. He imagined she was about to turn away to do the same.

“You may enter, Rin.“

He had startled her. He heard it in her voice and the catch in her breath. The pup yipped gently, and the sound of the doorknob turning indicated that Rin would enter. Soon, she had joined him within in the darkness of the moonlit study, the light of the heavenly lunar body sending beams of ghostly white through each window. She was clad in her simple yukata, worn over a gown of much finer and more gossamer like silk. The length of her hair was bound behind her in a loose and simple ponytail, although loose strands had escaped and rested on her shoulders.

Even this early in the morning, when most human women looked like unwashed pigs, Rin seemed just as radiant and bright as ever.

“She’s beautiful,” Rin spoke softly, still cradling the pup. “Thank you.”

What to say? Your welcome? I’m glad? I was hoping that you would? None of those seemed correct, and Sesshoumaru felt that his silence would only bring discomfort to her. “That is good.”

Rin released the held breath that the tension had trapped in her lungs, then crouched to release the pup from her arms, watching it scamper to the door, nudging it open with its nose to flee into the hall.

“Has she been housebroken yet?”

“That will be Jaken’s duty until she is sufficiently trained.”

Rin’s eyes widened slightly. “I should be responsible for any messes, Sesshoumaru, after all, Shiroi is my pet. Please don’t force Jaken to look after her if I am available to do so.”

The inu youkai lifted one brow, and for one silent and uneasy moment, Rin feared she had uttered the wrong thing. Finally, Sesshoumaru spoke, erasing any doubts that she’d had. “Do what you wish.”

What I wish? A smile lit across her features, and Rin stepped forward until she was at Sesshoumaru’s desk. Of course, he hadn’t meant it that way, not the way she was thinking, but suclicilicious thoughts couldn’t be avoided when looking at such a handsome, perfect man.

Rin could have almost hit herself mentally, almost ashamed for having such indecent thoughts. Her cheeks grew warm, tinted red from embarrassment, and the words she had planned so carefully in her head were fumbled and lost. “I…”

There was no way romantic way to phrase the words, no way that would not force her to sound like a whore, at least. “I want to spend time with you,” she forced out plainly. It was the most safe, and least suggestive of possible statements that she could have made. “If you aren’t busy.” Rin then glanced at the darkened lamp, then the open windows. “Why are you doing in the dark?” she asked, just realizing that there wasn’t a single light on in the study, not even a single candle. She knew he wasn’t reading because the desk in front of him clear of any books or papers, all of his usual work organized and set aside.

“Thinking.”

“Do you normally think in the dark?”

“I prefer the moonlight.”

“Oh.” As if that completely answered her question, although it kind of had. Obviously he wasnble ble to sleep, or didn’t need to, something she had neglected to ask him. He wasn’t much of a television watcher, only gracing the tube with his attention if something in particular (like the explosion at his brother’s house) caught his fancy.

“You have named her Shiroi?”

“Huh?” Rin blinked, her gaze lifting from the desk surface, where the moon’s light reflected brightly off of the finely polished wood.

“The dog. You have named her Shiroi?” Sesshoumaru repeated patiently with no readable emotion on his face. It was impossible for Rin to tell if he approved of or disliked the name.

“Yes. I thought it suited her…I don’t remember seeing a dog with such perfect snow-white fur before.” Rin took a tentative seat on the edge of Sesshoumaru’s desk, watching him closely for the slightest sign of disapproval. When she was positive he didn’t mind, she continued, and smiled at him. “What is your dog demon form like, Sesshoumaru?”

One dark brow lifted beneath the thick bangs of moonlight-tinted white. “I have told you this before.”

“But I wish to know what you look like.” Her smile faltered, as she was suddenly overcome with shyness. “I know your true form must be beautiful, I only wish that I could one day see it.” She could not tell if her words had moved the youkai lord or not, as she refused to lift her gaze from her own thighs. That has to be the most foolish thing I’ve said to him, Rin scolded herself. His true demon form isn’t a toy or something for my amusement, I don’t want him to believe that I think of him that way.

“I do not transform into my true body unless necessary.”

As she had thought. Unfortunately, she had realized that after the ridiculous request had tumbled out of her mouth. Red-cheeked, and unable to meet his gaze, Rin slowly began to nod.

“However, this Sesshoumaru will make an exception this time.”

Rin’s head lifted quickly, the shock visible in her eyes when she heard the words spoken. “For me? It’s not necessary…I mean, if you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to do it.

It would be improper to not reveal all to you, should you change your mind about our mating.”

“I would never--I--I want to be your mate--”

“Rin,” Sesshoumaru interrupted sharply. “You must understand fully what you are accepting before I will acknowledge your agreement.”

“Then tell me! Tell me everything about your kind that you feel I must know! We’ll call out of school and her here until the afternoon if necessary!” Rin blurted out desperately with a look so serious that Sesshoumaru did have difficulty hiding his shock that time.

“Then I shall. Make yourself comfortable.” His last statement sounded nothing like an idle remark, and was more similar to a demand. Apparently he did not approve of her sitting on the hard wooden edge of the desk.

Rin quickly stood. The only other chair in the room was a distance away, and very inappropriate for a listener that wanted to enjoy a story. But there is always… But would it be improper for her to sit there? Rin swallowed, and she moved back a step from the desk. Would he find me bold? Most likely he would. Maybe he wants me to. Why else would he tell me to get comfortable?

It was time to stop being a wimp. Rin cro aro around the side of the desk, turned her head slightly and shifted her gaze to avoid making eye contact, and slid into Sesshoumaru’s lap until her rear was positioned quite perfectly against the top of his thighs, and one arm had snaked around his neck. She felt the smooth strands of his ivory hair tickling against her forearm, and blushed realizing he very likely was wearing very little, or nothing at all beneath the sleek silken robe that he currently wore.

“Rin.”

“Yes?” she breathed out, unable to look up and regretting her bold move so much. He’s NAKED beneath this. God, I can feel it. Whatever made me think this was a good idea? Rin forced herself to breathe. Never before had she done anything this courageous and daring, not to a man, not to anyonepecipecially a demon man. She didn’t even know what was taboo in his culture, and if this sort of thing was an instant marker that he should drop her to her hands and knees and ravish her thoroughly.

Would she mind that much if it was?

“Lift your head. The eyes of the future lady of the West should never be downcast.”

“Y…Yes.” Rin forced herself to raise her head and meet his gaze, and what she saw in Sesshoumaru’s facial expression was not disgust, pity, anger, or even lust. It was just him, honest, and simply him. All of her trepidation and worry seemed for naught, and Rin smiled with only a faint uncertainty. Yes, everything would be alright. Sesshoumaru was real, this new life was real, and she would have to try damned hard to ruin something this lovely, this wonderful, and this perfect. He would not abandon her.

One strong arm found its way around Rin’s slim waist, and the soothing low tone of Sesshoumaru’s voice comforted her throughout the morning.

Remember, if I do get removed, you can go to my site for the story. I decided to just not worry about ff.net anymore. Just remember to spread the word to your friends about the story and review on the site if that happens.

I really want to start a Sesshoumaru/Rin round robin, but it’s hard finding others who like it AND write it and want to collab. I wouldn’t mind doing a fansite for just them though…oo new project idea.