Rin's Choice (Sesshomaru x Rin)

Emotions

I follow my lord, unable to contain a happy hum as I prance behind him, nearly skipping with my excitement.

I'm with him again, I think, smiling as I gaze at his beautiful hair, soft mokomoko, the graceful gait of his step.

Without realizing it, a contented sigh escapes me. Hearing it, he pauses. A moment later, he turns, looking back at me. To others I know his face would be impassive, but I see the concerned tilt to his lips, the way his eyes search me, looking for injury. When his gaze meets mine, I can't help but blush at the intensity in his eyes.

"Rin, are you well?"

"Y-yes, my lord. Of course."

"You are making noises."

It's an observation and question all in one. I know this, so I answer, "I always make noises."

"Not like that." He searches me for another moment, "You are not injured?"

"No."

"Do you wish to return?"

"No!" my reply is much more impassioned, so much so that he blinks in surprise at the vehemence.

After another pause, he turns, "Very well then. We'll camp soon."

"Yes, my lord," I reply, wondering that we are stopping so soon. I don't question it, however. I simply hope it means more time with him before I go to sleep.

We walk for another twenty minutes, the pace slower than before. For some reason, I notice he keeps glancing back at me.

"We'll stop here," he announces. Then he calls, "Jaken."

I hear rustling. A heartbeat later Jaken appears from the bushes, holding A-Un's reins. "Uh-uh, ready milord! Rin! It's so good to see you!"

"And you as well, master Jaken! Oh, hello, A and Un!" I coo, running over to give my sweet babies some attention. I swear A's eyes roll up into its head while Un tries to play it cool—though Un soon gives up pretending and pushes its head underneath my arm, fighting for more attention.

"Make camp, Jaken," Lord Sesshomaru demands.

"Wh-what? But milord! You said I should ready A-Un to travel immediately so we could get as far away from this horrid place—I—I mean yes, yes milord. Immediately!" Jaken drops the reins, hurrying away. I don't have to turn to know my lord gave Jaken one of his cold glares. I don't know why Jaken acts so terrified at that expression, given he's received likewise for as long as I have been around, but maybe he does it to make Lord Sesshomaru feel better. Jaken does stuff like that, I know. For all that he's clueless about humans, he really does care about our lord.

I pat A-Un for a while longer, hugging their necks while Jaken works. Lord Sesshomaru gazes into the sky while he waits, and of course I'm helpless to do anything but gaze at Lord Sesshomaru.

I don't understand these feelings welling up inside of me, chaotic and messy, incessant and all-consuming. I don't know why I'm so dazed by his face, his muscular arms, his micro-expressions. He's always been beautiful to me, but this... this feeling that I can't breathe until I'm near him again, this hunger to be close to him, this breathless excitement when he says my name... I don't understand it.

"Rin."

I blink, blushing anew when I realize he's looking at me, perplexed.

"My lord?"

"You made that noise again."

"I did? I didn't realize."

My reply does not seem to encourage him. Instead, if I'm correctly reading the tightening around his eyes and mouth, I've managed to make him more worried.