In the Classroom

IN THE CLASSROOM (Part 4)


~~~~~~Saturday Afternoon~~~~~~

Rin considered putting on a jacket of some sort to hide the telltale signs of a girl without her bra, but putting on a jacket proved to be too painful after she weakly floundered a bit, trying to put her hand into the other sleeve. Giving up, Rin tossed the jacket to her bed, too shy to ask Miss Yaki for help. I feel so helpless today... She didn't feel useless, though, since she finished her math homework faster than any math prodigy in her excitement to be leaving the house...especially if it were for Sesshoumaru. Rin still had the spare set of house keys on her desk, and slid the key-chain flat into her pocket, which left the keys to dangle outside. Her puppy sat on her bed throughout the whole ordeal, looking at her with his head tilted in curiosity. The two older dogs were most likely wandering around, bothering Miss Yaki. Rin petted his head, scratching behind his ears until his leg began to twitch in happiness. Bending down to put on shoes was pretty uncomfortable, but Rin managed well enough, and was taking it easy on the stairs going down to keep the vibrations on her spine to a minimum. It didn't take too much time to find Miss Yaki, who was cleaning out the fridge in the kitchen.

"Miss Yaki?" Rin called, watching the housekeeper's gloved hands as she scrubbed the bottom shelf inside the fridge. Rin's two older dogs were tentatively sniffing the bucket of soap water next to Miss Yaki. The housekeeper, on her knees, turned towards Rin.

"What is it, Rin?" she asked, pulling off her gloves.

"A friend has invited me to their house," Rin began, making sure to leave it vague by saying ‘their.' "It's not too far of a walk, and I think I might be eating dinner there." Rin saw the surprise come over Miss Yaki's face, and expected Miss Yaki to start wondering why Rin suddenly had a social life.

"Well, it's probably best if you and your father spent a little time apart...so it's a good idea, I suppose. What's your friend's name?" Miss Yaki asked, coming to her feet. Rin was sure that the look on her face gave it away because she had entirely forgotten to come up with a more thorough cover story than ‘a friend's house.' What am I going to do?! Blurting out the first thing that came to mind, Rin said,

"Y—Yukino...she's in some of my classes." Oh, man...I hope Miss Yaki never meets Yukino or else I'll be screwed. She tried to calm her expression, but it was hard since Rin had almost never lied in her life. Miss Yaki only nodded, holding her gloves in one hand, which she fisted and set on her hip.

"Well, I'm not your parent, and you're eighteen, so I have no say over where you go, but I'll let your father know that you'll be at Yukino's house. You might want to call around dinnertime to check in, though," Miss Yaki suggested, leaning upon the counter. Rin almost audibly sighed in relief.

"Okay...I'd better get going. Yukino is expecting me," Rin said, feeling a little queasy for outright lying to Miss Yaki. She backed up, waving as she exited the kitchen, and Miss Yaki waved back, still holding her rubber gloves. Rin saw that her two older dogs had moved to a new spot and were sitting in front of the TV as she walked by on her way to the front door. She found it funny that Miss Yaki let them watch it. They were probably only fascinated by the movement on the screen, but Rin sometimes wondered if they knew that they were watching Saturday cartoons. Stepping outside, Rin was suddenly glad that she had decided not to wear a jacket because it was hot and humid. Summer was still in full force, obviously.

Crossing her arms underneath her chest to keep herself from moving around too much, Rin began the short walk to the Hickory house. When she was little, she used to run there, cutting through little patches of forest and getting herself dirty before she even got to Miki's house. Rin was tempted to take those shortcuts again, but kept herself on the sidewalk since she didn't feel like hopping over logs and wading through what could possibly be huge patches of poison oak. She saw some middle-school children riding around on their bikes, barely moving, with their feet dragging and their mouths flapping. I used to do that...

Rin walked a little faster, wanting to get to Sesshoumaru's house since the heat was starting to get more oppressive. She passed by several upper-class houses, with professional landscapes and pools in the backyards. The houses became a little smaller and little less maintained as she neared Hickory Avenue. They were less pretentious, more comfortable-looking. A couple of little girls were squealing in their little bathing suits, jumping through a lawn sprinkler while their grandmother watched from the porch. She waved as Rin walked by, and Rin sent back a small smile before gluing her eyes back on the sidewalk. The next house was empty, and the lawn was in serious need of a mower. Rin wished she could live in this part of town again. The trees were older and the families were friendlier. Hickory crossed Warden at sort of an angle, meaning two corners were smaller than the other two. Sesshoumaru's house sat on one of the larger corners. Sprawling oak and maple trees in the yard blocked the mid-afternoon sun, which pretty much obscured the second floor of the house. Rin could see that Sesshoumaru had given the exterior an excellent paint job, using a lighter gray.

She waited for a car to go by before walking across the street with crossed arms, hoping that she wasn't looking like a tramp. The sidewalk leading up to the house was a little cracked and worn, but there was newly planted sod to replace the weeds that had taken over the lawn. Rin walked up to the porch, which squeaked underneath her feet, and she couldn't help but see Miki's face in her mind's eye as she glanced around quickly. She could hear someone using a weed-whacker a few houses away, and hear the Cicadas screeching in the trees above the porch roof...it was very nostalgic.

Rin took a deep breath and knocked on the screen door in front of her. Hearing floorboards squeak as Sesshoumaru came to the door, Rin felt her heartbeat pick up immediately. The door opened with a ‘swoosh' and Rin saw his handsome face through the screen, smiling and breathing a little fast.

"Hi there," he said, stepping forward a bit and pushing open the screen door. Rin backed up a bit to let the door swing open and watched his face go from happy to incredulous upon seeing her injured mouth. It was a little odd seeing him dressed in a white, plain t-shirt and old slacks. Rin thought he looked more approachable in his casual clothes...and more attractive.

"Hi," Rin said simply, unable to say anything to the very obvious thought on Sesshoumaru's face. She stepped inside his house when he stepped aside, glad to feel the air conditioning hit her heated skin. The screen door slapped against the doorframe as it shut, and Rin turned to see Sesshoumaru shut the door without looking behind him.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked, stepping close and bringing his hand up to cup her chin. His eyes were on Rin's battered lower lip, and Rin felt her cheeks blush.

"Only if I smile. Otherwise, it's just a little achy, I suppose," she said, watching his beautiful eyes skim up to her own. He leaned down, and Rin's eyes fluttered shut as he very lightly touched his lips to hers. It was such a gentle, affectionate kiss that Rin could feel her eyes stinging. Sesshoumaru pulled back then, brushing his thumb over her cheek.

"Do you need some ice for it?" he asked, deciding not to comment on the way her eyes shimmered. Rin told him she didn't need the ice, even though she seriously considered accepting since being around him made her feel hot. Sesshoumaru's hand, never leaving her body, drifted down to grip her hand and he tugged her along behind him. They stepped into what Rin had remembered to be Miki's living room, but Sesshoumaru had made it the dining room. The entire dining set was made of mahogany, which surprised Rin since it was so expensive.

"Now for the tour," Sesshoumaru began. "This is obviously the dining room. My grandmother left me the table and chairs, and my mother left me the china set in the hutch over there," he said, pointing at an oak cabinet on the back wall.

"Wow...this used to be Miki's TV room...it looks better as a dining room," Rin commented, touching the back of one of the chairs. The carpet always had been a little too rough to lie on when watching Saturday morning cartoons, but it worked just fine for dining room foot traffic. Sesshoumaru took her through the rest of the first floor, showing her the front room where he kept his desk and computer, and the living room near the back of the house. His TV was still on, tuned to CNN. Homework was spread on the coffee table, half-graded.

"Oh, did I come at a bad time? Do you still need to finish those?" Rin asked, feeling a little awkward since the homework was a physical reminder that Sesshoumaru was her teacher. Sesshoumaru walked past her to the coffee table, gathering up the papers and putting them into his briefcase.

"I can finish them tomorrow. Don't worry about it, Rin," Sesshoumaru said, smiling a little at her. Rin felt her cheeks flare up again, and let her eyes wander to the television. Right now, I'd normally be watching HBO or something...and he's watching the news. I feel like such a kid.

Sesshoumaru looked at Rin as she glanced at the TV and closed up his briefcase. She looked so fragile. Her skin looked paler contrasted with the yellow in her shirt, which was indeed pulled tightly across those wonderful breasts. Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel like the worst kind of jerk. He was dating a girl he wasn't allowed to date, and couldn't even stop her father from beating her up. Setting his briefcase against the legs of the coffee table, Sesshoumaru stood up, catching Rin's attention.

"Turn around," he almost ordered, standing close to her. Rin looked up at him hesitantly, not knowing what he wanted. She trusted him, though, and obediently turned around. She felt his fingers on the hem on her shirt, and her shoulders tensed up. He pulled the shirt up slowly, trying not to put pressure on her bruised skin. Though Rin couldn't see it, Sesshoumaru's mouth fell open. Jesus, Rin... He didn't think it was nearly this bad. The bruises were enormous and ugly, and it was hard to find any patch of skin that wasn't discolored. He brushed her long hair forward over her shoulders, and saw a little patch of purple skin above the collar of her shirt. He pulled the shirt up more, and though Rin made a vain attempt to keep the front over her chest, it made the back of her shirt pull over her bruises. She let the front of her shirt go, and Sesshoumaru brought the back up past her shoulder blades. His fingers lightly trailed down the battered skin, and Rin shivered.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, Rin, but I'm going to call the police about this. Your father needs more help than his daughter's recommendation to see a shrink," Sesshoumaru said, setting his hands on her waist. Rin whipped around, giving Sesshoumaru his first look at her bare chest in broad daylight.

"You promised you wouldn't tell! I just need a week and then father will be okay! You promised," Rin said, bringing one arm up to cover her chest when she realized that his eyes weren't on her face. Rin fisted her other hand and punched into his chest, angry that he would break his word and ogle her at the same time. "Look at my face, Sesshoumaru!" His eyes shot up, and Rin saw the half-concerned, half-angry look on his face that matched his earlier tone.

"I have seen your face," he said, louder this time. "All I see is a split lip and faded bruises! Perhaps it's you who needs to take another look at what your precious father has done to you!" Now fairly yelling, Sesshoumaru gripped Rin's wrist, pulling her to the downstairs bathroom. Standing her in front of the sink's mirror, Sesshoumaru turned Rin towards him and made her look back at the mirror. "Look at how black and blue your skin is! Do you think your father loves you as much as you think if this is how he grieves for his wife?"

Rin had not yet inspected her back, finding that she wasn't able to bring herself to look, but now that she was forced to, her back looked just as badly as it hurt. It seemed as if her father had vented a large amount of anger and frustration on her back, long after she fainted. It was lucky that he hadn't broken a rib, or ruptured her spline. Rin turned her face back towards Sesshoumaru's chest, and felt herself sinking into a huge chasm of self-pity. He's going to blow the whistle on father...

Sesshoumaru felt awful for saying this to Rin so harshly, but she seemed to be in denial, and forcing her to see the truth was the only thing that had worked so far. When he heard her sniff, he dropped his cheek to the top of her head, and pulled her shirt back down. Letting her wrap her arms around his waist, he set his hands onto the curve of her waist. Don't let him do this anymore...Rin...

"What time will he be home?" he quietly asked, knowing that Rin was silently crying. Her answer was muffled against his chest,

"Four o'clock." Sesshoumaru brought his wrist up, checking the time. Her father would be home in about twenty minutes, meaning he had to call the police soon and take Rin home. This is going to be a long Saturday...

~~~~~~Saturday, dinnertime~~~~~~

Confronting Rin's father had been a very ugly experience. Sesshoumaru called the police to tell them what had been happening, and Rin pretty much hung onto his elbow for the entire conversation. After hanging up, they drove back to Rin's house, not speaking to each other for the short, three-minute drive. The tension was obviously there. Miss Yaki was chopping up some vegetables to prepare for dinner when Rin arrived with Sesshoumaru. She was confused, obviously, especially since Rin was supposedly with a school friend. The police were there perhaps only a minute later. Miss Yaki actually seemed relieved to seem them. Throughout the next hour, she glanced askance at Sesshoumaru several times, either glad that he was able to do what she couldn't...or jealous that he was the one who had the guts to do it.

The two police officers that came, toting a social worker with them, were the ones to break the news to Rin's father that he was in serious trouble for what had been happening for the past year. He was upset at first—not angry—but embarrassed, ashamed, and regretful. When the social worker told him that Rin would have to live with someone else until she graduated from high school—or until he proved that he was competent again—that's when Rin's father became irate and downright livid. The two officers had to calm him down while he yelled at the social worker, then at Miss Yaki, and then angrily put Sesshoumaru through an inquisition as to how he was involved. He never yelled at Rin, but his attitude and mood was enough to put Rin into tears. Miss Yaki had to take Rin from the room.

Since Rin was over eighteen, the social worker had to ask her father if she had any relatives in the area where she could stay, but their only family was a pair of cousins who lived in Washington, D.C. That's when the lady turned to Sesshoumaru.

"Would you mind if Miss Ginta stayed with you, Mr. Hakkaku?" she asked, eyeing Rin's father warily as he paced the other end of the hallway angrily while the two officers watched. Sesshoumaru couldn't say anything for about five seconds.

"Uh..." Though this new temporary solution to Rin's problem was certainly delectable and made Sesshoumaru feel like he could better protect her from her home life, it couldn't be proper at all to live with one's girlfriend/student—if someone found out, that is.

"Miss Yaki might be a better solution, Mrs. Tsuyu. She has known Rin longer," Sesshoumaru finally said, going against his desperate need to have Rin in his own home.

" "Considering that Miss Yaki did not report the abuse to the proper authorities for such a long time, Mr. Hakkaku, I'm very hesitant to give Miss Ginta over to Miss Yaki's care. You seem to care more about her welfare," the social worker pointed out. "If anything, this will be a temporary solution until a more permanent residence can be given to Miss Ginta, unless the arrangement turns out to be best for her."

Sesshoumaru attempted to think of someone else for her to stay with, but the social worker seemed to have made up her mind. He didn't want to think of how Rin might react.

Meanwhile, Miss Yaki was handing Rin a towel after directing her to wash her face with cool water. Rin's eyes were still a little red, but the water had taken the heat of her tears away, and Rin felt calmer. Miss Yaki kept a hand on Rin's shoulder as mild comfort.

"Are you okay now?" she asked, taking the towel from her. Rin sniffed and nodded, wiping at bit more at her eyes with the side of her hand. "You weren't going to your friend's house, were you Rin?"

This made Rin's heart stop dead in its tracks. She had been caught in her lie, and now all hell would break loose. Looking up at Miss Yaki, Rin struggled to say something—anything—to keep Sesshoumaru from getting in trouble.

"You don't have to say anything, Rin. I wasn't strong enough to call for help, so you went to someone else who could. I'm glad your teacher had the guts to do such a thing. I was certainly afraid to say anything, which I'll always regret, Rin..." Miss Yaki said, completely missing the subtle relationship that Rin and Sesshoumaru secretly held. Rin let out the breath she had been holding. She thought I was going to see Sesshoumaru only to get help...

The social worker then walked into the kitchen where Miss Yaki and Rin were, and set her hand on the kitchen counter. She certainly didn't give Miss Yaki a nice look, but she smiled at Rin.

"Your teacher, Mr. Hakkaku, has agreed to let you stay with him until further notice, Miss Ginta. Your father will get his first hearing in front of a judge within the next month or so. I'm sorry, Miss Ginta, but we will only allow phone contact between the two of you, and Miss Yaki must not come to this house, either, until Mr. Ginta has passed an evaluation in three months..." Though Rin had heard everything Mrs. Tsuyu said, her mouth had dropped open after the first sentence, and the rest of the social worker's words went in one ear and out the other without being absorbed. I'm staying with Sesshoumaru?!

~~~~~~Saturday, Midnight~~~~~~

The amount of paperwork, crying, and yelling that had commenced after the social worker landed her sentence on Rin's father had given everyone there a raging headache, including the two police officers. Rin packed up some clothes and her schoolbooks under the watchful eye of a police officer while the other officer kept her father downstairs. After the social worker was satisfied, she made sure that Rin and the belongings that she had packed were in Sesshoumaru's car. Though it was certainly painful, Rin's father had to stand at the door rather than say good-bye to his daughter as she and her history teacher drove away. Rin watched her father's silhouette in the side mirror as Sesshoumaru pulled down the driveway, and knew his heart was probably breaking. I'm sorry, father.

By the time they reached Sesshoumaru's house, it was nearing midnight and Rin was exhausted. She hadn't slept well the night before, her body was still tender, and the emotional strain of the day had drained the last ounce of energy Rin possessed. The car ride had also been extremely awkward and silent, but once Rin saw his house, the sleepiness of what felt like ten years of wakefulness hit her. She was finding it hard to even keep her eyes open. And that awful feeling was back in her chest again...

Sesshoumaru shut off the engine and got out, walking around to the trunk. When Rin's door didn't open, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, and he stepped around to the passenger side door. Opening it, he saw that Rin had fallen asleep, still buckled to the seat. Thinking for a couple of seconds, he jogged up to the front door and unlocked it, propping the screen door open. Then jogging back, he leaned over Rin's prone body and found the clasp to her seatbelt. Carefully extracting Rin's arm from the belt, he managed to get her turned to the door and let her upper half rest against his chest. He opened her knees and pulled her slim hips forward. Sliding his hands beneath her bottom, he lifted with his legs, careful not to hit Rin's head on anything.

He was once again surprised by how light she was as he walked to the house. Rin groaned a bit in her sleep as he went, and he felt her fingers lightly grasp the back of his shirt. Stepping inside, Sesshoumaru made a mental note to turn his A/C to a higher temperature since it had grown so cold in his absence. Keeping his balance on the stairs despite Rin's weight was a little difficult, but Sesshoumaru made it to the second floor without incident. The house had three bedrooms, and he planned to put Rin in the second largest bedroom, but the bed wasn't made yet. So he stepped into his own bedroom and sat Rin on the edge of the bed. After bringing her arms away from him, Sesshoumaru kept her in a sitting position, and watched her head loll around a bit.

"Rin...do you want to sleep on your stomach?" he quietly asked, trying not to startle her. All he got was a soft moan that was probably a positive answer. Looking at her little white tennis shoes, Sesshoumaru told Rin to keep herself upright while he removed her shoes. Letting go, Rin did stay upright, so Sesshoumaru kneeled and tugged off her shoes, setting them to the side.

"I don't wanna sleep in my jeans," Rin said, sounding half-dead. Sesshoumaru's heartbeat picked up a little at that, and he looked up at Rin's face. Her eyes were still closed, and she looked a little miffed that she couldn't go to sleep now rather than later. Before Sesshoumaru could do anything, Rin fumbled for the button on her jeans and popped it out, unzipping the zipper. Sesshoumaru helped her stand up, and Rin held onto his shoulders for support as he pushed her jeans down her thighs. Sesshoumaru felt himself growing hard, and clenched his teeth. Rin was so tired that she didn't care who was helping her undress, and stepped out of her pants once they reached the floor. Then crawling over the bed behind her, Rin lowered herself onto her stomach and was asleep in a few seconds. Sesshoumaru pulled a quilt out of the linen closet down the hall and brought it back to drape over her, more to hide the tiny blue flower pattern on her panties than to keep her warm.

He closed the door behind him and went back to the car. Closing the passenger side door and hauling Rin's suitcase and book-bag out of the trunk, Sesshoumaru shut the trunk and brought her things inside, making sure to close and lock the front door before heading back upstairs. He was starting to feel pretty tired himself, and left Rin's things outside the bedroom door before quickly making the bed in the other bedroom and collapsing onto it, taking only a few seconds to kick his shoes off. This was a long Saturday.


~~~~~~Sunday, Ten o'clock~~~~~~

Rin knew when she woke up that the day would be awkward at first, and then weird...and then she might get used to living with her teacher/lover. She felt very stiff, but not nearly as sensitive as the day before. Getting up, Rin sat back on her ankles in the middle of the bed and looked around the room. She knew that Sesshoumaru had not slept with her, but it was obvious that this was his bedroom. It smelled like his cologne, and Rin loved the fact that she had slept with his smell all around her, with his bed beneath her, and with his blanket warming her. She saw her jeans on the floor next to the bed, and her shoes. She was glad that her feet still wore her socks because she could tell that the wooden floor was cold judging by the air temperature. He needs to turn up the A/C. Creeping to the door, Rin cracked it open, and found her things just outside the door. Pulling her suitcase inside, Rin shut the door and found her bathroom supplies. She couldn't hear Sesshoumaru moving around downstairs, and figured that he must be asleep still...wherever that was. Deciding to check, Rin pulled on her jeans and made a trip to the bathroom to drop off her hygiene materials before looking into Miki's old bedroom. It was empty, with only a few boxes sitting in the center. Figuring that Sesshoumaru was sleeping in Miki's older sister's old bedroom, she opened that door, and found him sprawled on the bed, still in his clothes from yesterday.

She decided not to disturb him and went back to the bathroom. Shedding her clothes from yesterday, which took a while since taking off her shirt was still a bit hard to do, Rin turned on the shower. Rin remembered this bathroom very well. Though she had never used the standing shower, she and Miki had often come in here to wash their hands before dinner, or to wash a cut. The floor had sea green tiles, the walls were an aqua blue, and the shower stall had navy blue tiles marbled with a lighter blue to simulate water. It was a cute little room, and Rin was comforted to be in it again.

She showered quickly, not wanting to dawdle in case Sesshoumaru stumbled in to use the bathroom. Squeezing the excess water out of her hair, Rin found a towel in the cabinets on the right side of the shower stall and wrapped one around her torso. Gathering up her discarded clothes, she was about to open the door when Sesshoumaru stepped in, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He paused in surprise, and Rin almost yelped, but without skipping a beat, he leaned down and planted a firm kiss on Rin's cheek.

"Good morning," he mumbled, still sleepy-sounding. He stepped past her and leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on his face. Rin, a little confused, walked back to his bedroom and shut the door, then searched her suitcase for clothes to wear. Finding a loose-fitting white shirt that looked vaguely medieval...or like it belonged in the Seventies...Rin slid the soft cotton over her skin, glad that it went on a lot easier than the yellow shirt. She slid on her other undergarments and then a pair of light blue jean shorts that she hadn't worn in a while, but Rin was just glad that they still fit. She heard the shower turn on again, and blushed when a very vivid image surfaced in her mind.

Sesshoumaru, as he wet his hair underneath the showerhead, could distinctly smell Rin's shampoo, and it made his heart beat heavier because of it. The water slowly woke him up as he lathered his hair, which was a good thing since his half-sleepy mind was much better at fantasizing than his conscience-ridden mind...and fantasizing in a shower with Rin's smell and plenty of soap wasn't going to get him anywhere.

Rin realized that her deodorant and toothbrush were now in the bathroom, so she decided to fix the covers on Sesshoumaru's bed and then wait outside the bathroom door so that she could finish her hygienic routine. Once the shower turned off, Rin's heartbeat picked up, knowing that he was walking around nude beyond the door next to her. It was a very surreal feeling, actually. She was surprised when the door open rather soon after the water stopped. Sesshoumaru stepped out, dripping water and holding a towel around his hips. Rin stammered for a couple of seconds, not expecting a half-naked, wet man to come out when she thought he might dress in the bathroom. She wanted to smack herself for forgetting that his clothes were in the room where she was changing, so he couldn't get his clothes to change into if she were there.

"I—just need my toothbrush and..." she began, feeling a hot blush rise in her cheeks. She saw Sesshoumaru's eyes travel over her person, taking in her outfit and probably noticing that she was once again braless.

"That's fine. I'll be in my room for a few minutes...you look nice today, Rin," Sesshoumaru added, letting a tiny smirk tilt his lips. He walked on, leaving a small trail of water on the floor. Rin watched him walk away for a few seconds, halfway hoping that the towel would fall off those narrow hips. Rin finished up in the bathroom, brushing her hair, which was now only damp, and pulled it back into a ponytail. Walking back into the hall, the bedroom door was open, and she could hear sounds from downstairs. Rin wasn't sure what to do, but decided to head downstairs to see what Sesshoumaru was up to.

There was a TV on somewhere, but not in the back room of the house. Following the sound to the kitchen, Rin found Sesshoumaru mixing something in a bowl. There was a 15" TV sitting on the counter, tuned to CNN again. He was wearing a pair of blue-black sweat pants and a white, sleeveless, tight-fitting shirt. Rin suddenly couldn't decide whether or not she was hungry for food...or for him. Upon hearing her light footsteps, Sesshoumaru turned slightly, breaking his gaze away from the latest headlines on CNN. Rin crossed her arms self-consciously.

"Hey...did you sleep okay?" he asked, turning around completely and resuming his stirring motions. Rin looked at the batter inside the bowl for a second.

"Yes, actually. I'm sorry to take up your bed," Rin said, rocking a little from foot to foot.

"You were so tired...I didn't want to keep you up much longer. So...how are you feeling?" he asked, his hand pausing. Rin looked away for a few seconds before bringing her gaze back to him.

"Well...I'm worried about my father. I know he's going to get help now, but...he must feel absolutely awful. I didn't want to hurt him, you see—even though he hurt me."

"That's understandable. You can always call him if you want. It might make him feel better," Sesshoumaru volunteered, setting the bowl on the counter. Rin rubbed her arms a little, feeling chilled now that they were in the "cold spot" of Miki's house. The kitchen was always where all the cool air from the A/C seemed to pool.

"I think I might. And second...it's—it's too embarrassing to say," Rin stammered, looking down at her bare feet. Sesshoumaru stepped closer, and Rin could smell his cologne, the same one from the car two nights ago...

"It's me, isn't it? About the two of us? If you want to move out, that's fine—" he was cut off when Rin interrupted vehemently.

"N—no! That's not it. I want to live here. I just...feel weird. I met you a week ago and—" Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru again, seeing barely anything in his eyes. I can't even tell what your moods are yet... "I like you a lot, Sesshoumaru—more than I've liked anyone before, but...you're my teacher, and my lover. I'm already living with you, even if it was neither your decision nor my decision. I feel out of place and I'm so confused," Rin conceded, letting her arms drop down to her sides again. Sesshoumaru could see that Rin's mind was in a jumble, and though he wanted to put his hands all over her at the moment, he settled for pulling her close with his hands on her hips to avoid touching her back. Rin set her cheek against his chest and loosely looped her arms around his waist, inhaling the wonderful scent of his cologne. Why couldn't you have been my age? Rin knew that she actually liked the fact that he was so much older. He carried himself much better than the other high school boys, and he knew what to say. She wasn't sure how long they stood there, but Sesshoumaru was the one to break the silence.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, unconsciously massaging her hips and waist in his hands. Rin was very aware of it, and could feel her body reacting very easily to his hands, even though he really wasn't doing anything.

"What are you making?" Rin asked, curious about the batter in the bowl behind him. She raised her head to look at him, and was a little disappointed when his hands stopped moving.

"Pancakes, of course...it's Sunday, right?" he said, remembering what she earlier said about Miss Yaki. Rin smiled warmly, glad that he was trying to cheer her up.

"Pancakes sound great," Rin said, pulling away a little. "I...I better call home, though. Do you mind if I use a phone upstairs?" Rin saw a slight change in his face, not quite sure what it was, but not willing to analyze everything he did, lest she go insane from thinking too hard about everything. Sesshoumaru told her to use the phone in his bedroom if she wanted, and Rin tossed a smile back at him as she left to go back upstairs.

Re-entering Sesshoumaru's bedroom, Rin could smell his cologne here, too. She walked to the dresser top and found the bottle. Something called Blue Moon... Setting the bottle back down, she walked to the nightstand and pulled the receiver off the hook, sitting down as she brought it to her ear. Pressing the numbers for her own home, Rin waited for only one ring.

"Rin?! Rin, is that you?" Rin's father's voice sounded frantic—or desperate.

"It's me, father," Rin answered, hearing a relieved sigh on the other side of the phone. "Are you okay, Father? I know you're upset, but..."

"I'm fine, sweetie. How are you? Is Mr. Hakkaku working out okay?" he asked. Rin bit on her lower lip for a second after that question. Well, living with one's technically illegal, overage lover... Sesshoumaru was certainly supportive right now. There was no question about that.

"He's fine, father. He's...nice. He's even making pancakes today. You know how Miss Yaki always makes them on Sundays."

"Rin, I would have gotten help if you had asked me...they took you away, sweetie," her father answered, sounding pathetic and defeated. His voice was as old as he looked the night he vented his anger on her back. It held too much grief and bad experiences, making it sound low and rough.

"Father, I—I was afraid to ask...I felt like you'd do something to me if I caught you in the wrong mood. I—I'm sorry, father," Rin said, feeling her throat clog up a bit. She heard her father sigh again.

"Rin...I should be the one apologizing...I just get so angry sometimes. God...I didn't need this right now." Rin felt a small stab of anger suddenly. He doesn't need this right now?! "All of this is just piling on top of losing the case...it's too much."

"What's that supposed to mean?! I p—put up with you for a year after m—mom died, and when I couldn't take it any more—you—you don't need this right now?! H—how much longer did you need t—to beat me up before I could g—get help?!" Rin said, barely able to speak in an effort to keep herself from crying. She heard the stairs squeak.

"Sweetie, please I—I didn't mean it that way! It just seems to get worse and worse and—sweetie, I—" Rin cut him off, not able to control herself any more.

"Don't call me ‘sweetie!' You don't get to do that anymore!! How could you?! You're my father!! H—how c—could you?! I hate you! I hate you!" Rin screamed into the phone, hot, salty tears falling fast from her swollen tear ducts.

"P—please! Please, Rin don't—" Before Rin's father could say anything more, Rin slammed the phone down, sobbing and feeling her face flush with anger and hurt. She covered her face with her hands, letting the moment pass if it would. Her world was crashing down upon her, and nothing could stop it. She felt Sesshoumaru sit down next to her and his arms come around her. Allowing herself to lean against him, Rin vaguely heard a few shushes. His left hand was resting on her far hip, and Rin's back ached a little.

"Don't cry..." she heard him say. Sniffing, Rin took a few deep breaths, which brought in his wonderful cologne, and she felt her cheeks cooling off. She pulled her hands from her face and tucked her nose into the crook of his neck. They sat there for a few minutes while Rin caught her breath. She found herself clinging to the front of his shirt and let her hands drop to his thighs. Another smell caught her attention, and she looked to the nightstand where two buttered-up, syrup-drenched pancakes awaited her. A glass of orange juice sat next to the plate.

"You should eat that, take some ibuprofen, and go back to sleep," Sesshoumaru said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He leaned Rin back up to a sitting position and leaned across her to get the plate. Setting it on her lap, Sesshoumaru sat while Rin ate, keeping an arm around her waist and rubbing the arm pressed to his side. Once Rin swallowed the last bite, Sesshoumaru put the plate back on the nightstand and walked to his dresser to get the pain medication. Rin took a few gulps of the orange juice, and then swallowed the pills with the last of it. Sesshoumaru stood in front of Rin, telling her to lie down.

"But don't you want to me to sleep in the other room?" Rin asked, looking up at his well-toned figure, which looked very good in his tight t-shirt. Sesshoumaru's hair looked especially touchable underneath the softer indoor light, and her hands twitched to do so.

"I kind of like having you sleep in my bed," he said in a low voice, giving her a pointed stare. Rin blushed hotly and dropped her gaze to the empty plate, now sticky with syrup. Sesshoumaru told her to lie down again, and Rin complied, testing to see how it would feel to lay on her back. It wasn't too painful, and she had the feeling that once the ibuprofen kicked in, she wouldn't feel pained at all. Sesshoumaru pulled the quilt back over her legs and braced his hands on either side of Rin's head.

"Th—thanks, Sesshoumaru," Rin said, knowing that he was about to kiss her and a little embarrassed by it. Her hands twitched, wanting to touch his hair, and then everywhere else on his body. Sesshoumaru leaned down, pressing his lips against hers and hoping that her bruised lower lip was up for it. Rin's mouth automatically opened, and Sesshoumaru slipped his tongue inside, languidly rubbing it everywhere that was sensitive. Rin sighed, slipping her hands to his shoulders, then smoothing up his neck, over his ears, and through his springy, soft hair. Sesshoumaru couldn't pull himself away for a full minute, needing this kiss to last for a while. When he finally pulled away, Rin's mouth followed for a few inches before she dropped her head back to the pillow.

"Sleep it off, okay? I'll check on you once in a while," he said, taking a step back. Rin made an agreeing noise and watched him leave the room, leaving the door open. Sesshoumaru...what would I have done without you?


~~~~~~Later~~~~~~

Rin swallowed, trying to rid herself of the odd aftertaste in her mouth that only seemed to appear after a nap. She was still incredibly tired, and turned her head to look at the clock: 9:48 PM. Though she knew she should be shocked, she was too tired to care. She heard a sound from the bathroom, and Sesshoumaru soon appeared, wearing only blue boxers. He paused in surprise when entering the room.

"You're awake? That's good—you were worrying me for a little bit. Are you still tired?" he asked, walking over to his dresser.

"Yeah. I feel like I could sleep for another twelve hours," Rin said, rubbing at her eyes. Her back was aching again, so it was no wonder that she had woken up.

"Need more ibuprofen?" he asked, pretty much reading her mind as he set out his clothes for the next day. Rin's face flushed with embarrassment and curiosity in her sleepy state upon seeing his smooth, muscled back.
"Yeah...uhm—I think that's what woke me up." Sesshoumaru reached for the bottle again, shaking out two pills and walking to her. Rin held out her hand, and he dropped the pain medication into her palm. He retrieved a glass of water from the bathroom in no time, and Rin swallowed the pills gladly.

"We'll head to Edwardsville around eight tomorrow, so it's good that you're getting plenty of sleep. You'll need to be awake for the interviews," he explained, taking the glass from her.

"Oh! I almost forgot about that!" Rin said, a little more awake, but not much. Sesshoumaru smirked a bit.

"Well, that's understandable, too. I remembered for you, though," he said, standing next to her. Rin suddenly wondered if he was going to sleep in the other room again. Rin didn't want to impose on him like that anymore. It was mean to have someone forced into your home by a well-meaning social worker and take up your bed for almost a full twenty-four hours.

"Uhm...you can sleep here if you want. I'll sleep in the other room." Rin was about to roll to her side and sit up, but Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"That's fine. The other bed isn't as soft, so you need this bed for your back until you feel better," he explained.

"Well..." Rin blushed, hoping he didn't think she was too forward. "You can sleep here anyway...with me." She fidgeted her hands and chewed on her lower lip, watching his eyes get a little sleepy-looking. He looked...very male.

Sesshoumaru wasn't about to pass up this opportunity. He had walked around the whole day with a halfway-hard arousal, knowing that a young, beautiful girl was sleeping in his bed upstairs. Nodding, he simply reached towards the lamp on the nightstand and turned the small knob, plunging the room into darkness. Rin felt him crawl over her and settle down on her left. Her heart was beating heavily, but sleepiness was making her eyelids sag again. The quilt shifted a bit as he brought half of it over his legs. She heard a sigh and then listened to his breathing for a minute or so. After that, she couldn't remember anything.


~~~~~~Two a.m.~~~~~~

Rin's mind was very fuddled when she had awareness of anything again. It was still dark, and her back was aching pretty badly. She shifted, needing to lie on her stomach. It seemed natural to lie on Sesshoumaru's chest, to settle her cheek onto his shoulder and drape her thigh over his boxers. Sesshoumaru wasn't a light sleeper, but he knew the second that Rin touched him. He moved his arm a bit, putting it around her shoulders. Rin could smell his scent on his bare skin, which was musky with a hint of the cologne he wore. She raised her head to land a quick kiss on his chin, but missed and kissed the side of his mouth. Feeling that she had to do it properly, Rin brushed her lips over his, but before she could lay her head down again, Sesshoumaru's hand was on the back of her head, encouraging her to continue kissing him. She never thought that she might not want to start making out with him...in his bed...at night...with him only wearing boxers.

Rin deepened the kiss a bit more, sleepily wondering how his lips could be so soft and so firm at the same time. Her limbs moved a little restlessly then, and she slipped her tongue into his warm mouth. He tasted good...a little like mint.

Sesshoumaru had been close to going back to sleep after Rin shifted, but once she began to kiss him, he was fully awake. He let his hand grip the thigh across his lap, and realized that she was starting to rub herself against him, whether or not she knew it herself. The kiss kept intensifying as the seconds ticked by, and they were soon breathing hard, adrenalins up. Sesshoumaru felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest; it was pounding so loud. Rin wanted to feel more of him underneath her and decided to lie fully upon him. She was soon pelvis-to-pelvis, chest-to-chest with Sesshoumaru, having let her legs fall open over his hips. Sesshoumaru moved his hands to the backs of her thighs, squeezing the smooth flesh while his mouth tasted every sweet crevice to be found between her lips. His manhood was reacting so quickly that he was gasping in the short seconds between kisses. I can't let it go too far...we don't have condoms, and she's probably not ready for this.

Rin loved how hard his body was. She lightly skittered her fingers up his trim sides, almost tickling him, and then rubbed his firm pectoral muscles, working her way down. Forcing her back muscles to support her, though, was starting to hurt, so Rin let her weight settle back on her elbows, which was enough for her to play with his hair. She needed more, however. Sesshoumaru... That's when Sesshoumaru brought his knees up between her legs, setting the bottoms of his feet flat on the bedspread. It pressed his very obvious arousal right where Rin needed it to be.

She pushed herself down against him, getting more excited as Sesshoumaru gripped her rear end in his strong hands and groaned. She took a break from their kiss, rubbing herself slowly over him and feeling the same warm throbbing she had felt in the car. Sesshoumaru raised his hips when he could, trying to grind himself against the very center of her. He could hear Rin's soft, high little breaths, and the small noises she made with every other buck of his hips.

"So this is what it might be like," Rin whispered, clenching one of her hands in his hair. She moved a little faster, rubbing against him and feeling her panties becoming very damp.

"What's that?" Sesshoumaru asked in a sleep-roughened voice, wanting to hear her say it. He was almost doing the rubbing for her, holding her backside tightly.

"It's what it might be like to make love with you...unhhh, Sesshoumaru..." Rin sighed, bucking hard against him. It was jolting her back somewhat, but Rin couldn't feel it anymore. She wanted to once again reach the peak she had experienced a couple of days ago.

All the other times he had made love to someone, Sesshoumaru was certain that clothes were nowhere near the bed by the time they got to this stage, so it was an erotic experience to still be separated from Rin by a few thin layers of clothing. Moving his hands to Rin's luscious hips, Sesshoumaru helped her increase the pace, even though it was killing him not to plunge into her right then. Rin's aroused gasps and moans got higher and a little louder.

"Ungh...Rin..." Sesshoumaru groaned, never having been aroused like this in his life. Rin ground against him harder and faster. h, Gh, God...Sesshoumaru, I'm so close. So close to you... Her head started to swim and her torso tingled as if gathering electrical energy. It escalated and moved to the throbbing spot between her legs, pooling there and intensifying. She couldn't contain the little moans that squeezed passed her clenched jaw. Stiffening over Sesshoumaru, Rin's climax clenched and unclenched the muscles of her womanhood and pressed out the resultant pleasure-filled liquid.

"So good...oh..." Rin achingly sighed, rubbing a little bit more. Sesshoumaru, still hard, listened to Rin's orgasmic sighs, wishing he could be there with her. Rin relaxed over Sesshoumaru, content. She knew he had not found his pleasure, though, as evidenced by the hardness still resting against her. She rose up on all fours and began to crawl back, going down Sesshoumaru's body. Sesshoumaru, glad that he wasn't going to have to sleep beneath her all night with a full-fledged arousal, moved up a bit, coming to a sitting position just in front of the pillows. Rin lied down on her stomach again, with Sesshoumaru's thighs supporting her arms. Slipping her fingers beneath the waistband of his boxers, Rin only had to pull them down a couple of inches before his hard length slid from underneath the cloth. Rin, having found out what Sesshoumaru liked, moved her tongue and lips over him, listening to his guttural groan

Sesshoumaru slid his hands into her hair, listened to the A/C kicking on again, and clenched his teeth as heat churned in his stomach. All it took was for Rin to tighten her lips harder on the next stroke, and Sesshoumaru climaxed, half-groaning, half-yelling as his seed throbbed and spilled out of him. It was even better than the last time, which in itself was one of the most sexual experiences he had ever had.

"...Rin..." Sesshoumaru fell back against the headboard, still holding fistfuls of her hair. Rin wiped her lips, pulling herself back up his body. Sesshoumaru managed to get his head back on the pillow, but he was certainly tired now. Holding Rin close as she settled against his side to keep off of her back, Sesshoumaru landed a kiss on her forehead.

"G'nite, Sess," Rin mumbled, draping her right arm and leg over him and tucking her nose into the crook of his neck again. Her mind's fog only became thicker, and she was soon sleeping again. Sesshoumaru felt something in his heart shift, and held Rin a little tighter. She called me Sess...

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