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iinuyashaa · 9 months

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“For Your Own Protection” Chp. 1

(a KohRin + slight SessKag series)

The wind whirled through Sesshomaru’s hair as he soared just beneath the cover of clouds towards the village of Edo, and the Lord of the Western Lands was quietly grateful for the breeze that lapped against his skin as he flew. The summer season had been unusually hot and sticky, the air annoyingly clinging to one’s skin should they decide to make a now seemingly perilous journey under the sun and outside of the shade provided by one’s hut. Despite his historically high tolerance for discomfort, even Sesshomaru could admit to himself that after a day’s travel, there was nothing more he wanted to do than rid himself of his robes and hurl himself into the nearest spring to wash the invisible grime of the day off his being.

No matter, he reconciled to himself, blinking his eyes and tilting his head downwards to once again focus his gaze on the land far below his feet. There was no time for musing about the heat— he had a mission to carry out. Inhaling deeply, his expert nose picked up the scents he was looking for: cooked meats, spices and herbs, and, well, human sweat. And his half-brother. He didn’t know which smell to grimace at more. Yes, he was on the right path. Edo couldn’t possibly be too far from him now.

His intuitions were correct. It took Sesshomaru but a few more minutes until he began his descent into the village, working diligently, as he glided to the ground, to dismiss the narratives of loathing that danced in his mind about the precious manufactured breeze slipping away from him and the sights, sounds, and smells of the village inevitably beginning to assault his heightened senses. The sun hung high in the sky, and he could hear the insects singing in the grass around him as his feet gracefully met the earth. Rolling back his shoulders under his heavy armor, Sesshomaru furrowed his eyebrows. When did he become so accustomed to whining like a pup? It must be the heat.

Or you’re becoming grumpier as you age, a voice eerily akin to that of the shikon miko, with a confidence so unusual for a woman in this era to have in speaking to a being of higher status, teasingly whispered in the back of his mind. He blinked, rejecting the notion. No, it was certainly the heat. He almost paused to wonder why the voice had sounded like…

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Deciphering that will have to wait. I have matters to attend to.

He wasn’t afforded much time to scan his surroundings before a shorter figure clad in purple robes barreled through the reed doors of a hut to his right with a shout, making his head turn towards the commotion.

“Lord Sesshomaru! You’ve returned!” Rin practically rejoiced, her arms outstretching towards him and voice ringing with a tone of glee that reminded him of the sound of summer chime bells ringing on the many human temples he’d passed on his travels. Sesshomaru turned to face her, catching her shoulders just before she could slam into him with what he had been previously informed was called a hug. Truth be told, even after years of having her under his care, he was still becoming accustomed to the reality that humans felt far more inclined to hug their loved ones in a warm embrace upon meeting. Such a display of affection had not happened during his childhood, at least. As if instinctually, one of his large hands found its way to the top of the girl’s head, gently resting there as she smiled up at him. If one was watching intently enough, they would notice how his normally ambivalent expression faded away, his gaze softening and his lips tugging into a small smile as he looked at the smaller, more cheerful form beside him.

“Rin… It’s good to see you. Are you well?” he asked, already knowing the answer. It was almost a silly question. Of course she was doing fine. He wouldn’t have allowed her to reside here in the village if he didn’t trust the human adults nearby to care for her. Regardless of his typical disdain for Inuyasha, Sesshomaru knew, deep down inside, that his half-brother would be at the ready to defend his precious Rin at a moment’s notice should the need arise. It was one of his younger sibling’s few redeeming qualities.

“Oh, yes! I’ve been well. Kaede-sama and Kagome-sama have been teaching me all about herbs, salves, potions, spices… I even learned how to fix broken bones last moon! Did I tell you that I’m thinking of becoming a healer? With a couple of more years of training, Kaede-sama says that I’ll…” The young girl’s voice prattled on excitedly, draining out into a sort of muffled background noise as he looked down at her, watching his adoptive daughter’s hands flurry about as she explained something. Admittedly, he didn’t hear much more of it. As he looked at her form, Sesshomaru felt a wave of… Sadness? Regret? No, those weren’t exactly right. It was something more akin to a sense of fleetingness.

How much had she grown since he’d last seen her? It had only been, what, seven moons? She was certainly taller now, and her kimono needed tailoring, as it was now climbing up her shin. Not scandalously, of course, but enough to where he noticed. He’d have put that on the list of things to inquire about—if there was any seamstress in the village, he could pay to have it adjusted. Or just buy a new one.

Perhaps that’d be easier. A new kimono that isn’t drenched in sweat from the heat would probably make her feel more comfortable. I will set aside some money, Sesshomaru mused to himself, continuing to analyze her.

Rin’s hair was a darker shade of brownish black now, and her cheeks were no longer as full and rosy and, dare he recall how the miko had once cooed, squishable, as they had been when she was a younger child. Her once cheeky smile, dotted with empty spaces where teeth would one day grow, was now full of dull, adult human teeth that made up a welcoming, gentle smile. Sesshomaru understood that she was sixteen years of age now… but that didn’t mean he wasn’t somewhat startled. Rationally, he knew full well that humans progressed through aging at rapid-fire speed compared to youkai. The demon lord had just never been an eyewitness to the process until now.

An even darker realization soon sprouted in his thoughts, a macabre reminder of his true reason for visiting the village.

If anyone… or any remotely powerful demon… were to attack the village, she’d almost be the perfect prey. Young, beautiful, and practically defenseless. There are those in the lands who would take advantage of her in the most horrific ways possible if they had the chance. I would hunt anyone down and kill them as revenge, of course, if they so much as looked at her in a defiling manner… But it’s still an unsavory thought. This cannot continue, especially with the rumors… The thoughts tugged and swirled around one another in his mind in a sort of torturous dance, causing his expression to sour.

Unbeknownst to Sesshomaru, Rin had slowly ceased her chatter and watched inquisitively as her lord’s eyes narrowed to gaze towards the dusty traveler’s road in the distance behind her. The teenager knew what that meant: her protector was deep in thought. She decided she could tell him more about her studies later. Just as Rin parted her lips to chirp an invitation inside and fill the momentary silence, Sesshomaru looked down towards her again, cutting her off.

“Let us not stay in the heat any longer, Rin. Is that elderly miko here? I must speak with her.”

Rin nodded her head, lifting her hand in the direction of the one-eyed miko’s hut. “Yes, Kaede-sama’s just inside. The others are here too! Ah, you’ll get to see almost everyone!” She nearly squealed out in response, turning on her heel to lead him to the dwelling. One could have joked that Sesshomaru almost followed obediently. How the tables had turned indeed—anything for him to escape melting under the sun.

Leaning forward so as to duck his way through the small entranceway of the old miko’s home, the crackly, hoarse voice of the one he knew as Kaede met his ears as she straightforwardly greeted him. “Lord Sesshomaru… Welcome to our village. What brings you here this time?”

The demon-slayer siblings, sitting adjacent to the shikon miko, looked up at him in mild surprise. Kagome, however, sent him her usual small, polite smile and greeted him on behalf of her sitting companions. “Yes, Sesshomaru-sama… It’s good to see you. I hope your travels weren’t too tiring.”

Sesshomaru paused. The boy and his older sister were here as well, hm? Interesting. And potentially useful. Rin rolled back and forth on her feet as she stood next to him, sending quick glances between himself and to the boy who had traveled with him before, Kohaku.

“I have come to discuss something urgent. Is the half-breed around as well? What of the monk?” Sesshomaru question, his voice setting a more serious tone for the conversation as his eyes scanned the room.

Kagome and the female slayer – Sango, Sesshomaru reminded himself – both nearly laughed, already knowing who he was referring to. They routinely wondered when the dog demon would finally come around to calling them their actual names. Sango spoke this time, “Inuyasha and Miroku are both out on a mission. A nearby village has been having some trouble with a boar youkai going on a rampage against the farmers and their crops.”

“Sounds inconvenient.” Sesshomaru curtly replied as he glanced across the room. Why was the slayer boy trying to hide his smile towards his ward? Did he think he was coy?

“Well, before you tell us the news, would you like some fresh water, Lord Sesshomaru?” Rin piped up in question, gently tugging on the robe covering his left arm and diverting the dog demon’s attention to her once more. Under normal circumstances the demon lord would have refrained from nourishing himself in front of others… But his dry throat told a different story. He quietly nodded to Rin. “And please, sit down!” she added, motioning him to sit. Sesshomaru buckled, as usual when it came to her, trying to plop down on the dirt floor beneath him as regally as possible.

All eyes were on him. “So,” Kagome began, easing everyone into conversation as she had almost always done, “What rumors do you have for us today? It must be serious for you to visit so unexpectedly.”

“Four moons ago,” began Sesshomaru, “I had heard whispers of a band of demons and humans nearly one hundred strong working together to raid human villages in the east. I didn’t think much of it before— it sounded incredulous at the time. Humans and demons collaborating to pillage? I brushed it off as nonsense.” His companions patiently soaked in his words, waiting for him to continue.

“Yet days ago, along the border between the west and east, I found three decimated villages filled with rotting corpses, all violated in a myriad of ways on the eastern side. Some were obviously carved apart using claws; others were sliced with swords. The women were defiled in ways I care not to speak of. While I cannot say with complete certainty that humans were the aggressors, I certainly scented the remnants of demon kind. And humans that were still alive. My instinct tells me not to disregard this.” Sesshomaru silently acknowledged Rin with a glance, who had gently placed a teacup filled with water in his open hand. He took a sip, relishing the cool liquid on his tongue.

“Given these rumors and my findings, I have made the decision that I’m going to remain here in the village for the next moon to keep watch in the event that they decide to cross the border.” He looked over at Rin who – to his surprise – had moved to sit next to the demon slayer boy. Sesshomaru’s eyes narrowed at the sight. Why wasn’t she sitting next to him? “Rin, you and I will be training together in the morning every day. Fighting. Self-defense. As much as I can teach you.”

Rin’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “T-Training? A-And you’re living with us?” The words stammered out of her mouth in surprise.

“Do you believe me to have misspoken, Rin?” Sesshomaru questioned, setting the cup down in front of him.

It was Kaede’s turn to join the fray of conversation, her voice croaking in protest. “Nay, Lord Sesshomaru. That won’t be happening.”

His head quickly turned to glare at the old woman who was on the path to quickly being filed as ‘old hag’ in his mind. “Rin is focusing her studies on healing, and she’s excelling wonderfully. She may not have any spiritual power as a miko, but she’s a talented healer. I can’t have you pausing her studies for training how to fight—not when you’ve never taught her anything before and there are so many others here around her that are more than capable of defending the village. Besides, where would you reside? We have no empty huts for you.”

Sesshomaru’s lip nearly curled in irritation. He hated being questioned. What he despised even more was some wrinkly miko pointing out something that he knew he should have done much earlier.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve decided this is best for Rin, and it will be happening. That is final.” Sesshomaru countered, the tone of his voice demanding acquiescence. “I will take care of my own accommodations. I do not need a home in the traditional sense.”

An irritatingly familiar voice boomed from the doorway behind him. “If this were such a big deal, why didn’t you take the band out before, huh? I thought you could handle hundred demons or so easily.” Sesshomaru nearly rolled his eyes. This is becoming more troublesome by the second, he grumbled internally.

The elder dog-demon shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, not even looking at this nuisance half-breed of a brother behind him. He heard the shuffling of Inuyasha’s fire rat as his sweat-drenched form sauntered into the room. The monk followed closely behind, settling next to his wife. That trademark, faint, all-knowing smile – the one where it seemed like the perverted monk knew something you didn’t know – crept onto his features. It irked Sesshomaru.

“The bloodshed was not occurring on my territory. Why should I be bothered? Only fools like yourself would go out of their way to intervene,” Sesshomaru stated coldly in response, meeting eyes with Rin. She looked troubled at his words. For a split second, the mighty youkai lord felt himself hastening to review the sentences in his mind once more, wondering what he had said to make such a painful look pool in her eyes. It came to him within a moment.

I suppose I did intervene when it came to Rin.

“Keh,” Inuyasha spat under his breath, crossing his arms across his chest. “Do whatever you want. I’m a little annoyed that you don’t think we can’t handle something so basic as a band of raiders.”

An unexpected voice shot into the discourse. “I’ll help train Rin.”

Sesshomaru, along with all of the other heads in the room, turned towards the younger of the siblings as he stood up. Kohaku. Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow. “You?” He shook his head, nearly chuckling. “No, that will not be necessary.”

“I actually think that’s a wonderful idea!” Rin exclaimed, and Sesshomaru’s eyes, if one was watching carefully, nearly widened. What was this madness? “I can learn from two of the best fighters I know… You, Lord Sesshomaru, and Kohaku. He’s become even stronger since you last saw him. He even fought off a bear youkai all by himself a few moons ago…” The teenage girl prattled, the saddened expression across her face just moments ago wiped away with expectation.

“I’m right here, you know.” Inuyasha griped, receiving a stern look of exasperation from Kagome at the thought of him being offended by Rin’s comment about battle prowess of all things.

Before the taiyoukai could even get a word in, the monk interjected.

“I don’t think that would be completely unwise, Lord Sesshomaru. She’d be exposed to a more diverse array of weapons, fighting styles, and techniques… She would even be able to spar with someone roughly her age and size.”

Sesshomaru didn’t like this feeling. Somewhere under the robes covering his arms, his knuckles flexed. Gods, if I could strangle the monk right now, I would, he thought to himself. When it came to the size of a sparring partner, though, the monk did have a point. It was important for those training to face practice foes that were large and small, a true emulation of the battlefield.

It seemed like the world stopped turning as all eyes looked to him for his decision. He looked once more at Rin, succumbing to the realization that if allowing the slayer boy to participate in her training made her more enthusiastic to learn crucial life-saving skills…

“Fine.” Sesshomaru rumbled, looking at the pair. “We begin tomorrow in the nearby meadow at dawn. Don’t be late.”

----

As night fell, Sesshomaru leaned against the thick willow tree outside of the hut owned by the old miko, looking up at the moon above him. He needed time to think about how best to introduce Rin to this world of weapons and war and fighting, and the summer night’s breeze was perfect weather for doing so. The dog demon certainly never thought that going to such great lengths to shield her from these subjects would potentially handicap her one day in the future. A sudden ache, deep inside, flashed across his chest when he thought about the tiny Rin he had found ravaged by the wolves or, in another universe, her being a small child and sloppily waving a sword around against an adversary. He didn’t care for either image— the murdered child or the child soldier.

Inside, he felt… torn? Yes, that was the right word, he supposed. As her protector, daresay her father-figure, there was nothing more Sesshomaru felt inclined to do than to be there, ready and waiting, to exterminate any possible threat that his Rin could encounter. He knew he could handle it. Despite the younger miko’s – oh, he was really acknowledging it, now – teasing voice in his mind, he knew he was not geriatric enough to be unable to protect her. Sesshomaru knew it would be no problem… when he was near. But what if one day he wasn’t so close by?

She was getting older, growing into her own. Rin was bound to one day push against the boundaries he’d set and run off into mischief, no? What if she found herself alone in the woods picking herbs… Or traveling to a nearby village… Any she was attacked by someone? Or if the raiders came on a day where the usual protector group – his half-brother, the miko, the monk, and the slayer – were out? He couldn’t possibly hover over her all her life. The scenarios flashed in his mind, one after another. These were dangerous times. She was his ward. It was his duty to make sure she was protected in any possible scenario.

More than anything, as much as it conflicted him to admit it, he didn’t want her to entirely rely on any single male – including himself – for protection. Sesshomaru knew that he needed to equip her with at least some degree of fighting skills. It was for her own good, just like encouraging her to live in the human village was. He’d made wise decisions as her protector before, no? Surely this recent decision would be beneficial too.

The scent of the miko – the younger, thankfully, not the older – suddenly wafted its way to his sensitive nose. Looking towards his left, he watched Kagome walk towards him, a basket of herbs perched upon her hip.

“Good evening, miko,” He began, curious at himself why the words came so freely from his lips. Kagome smiled, waving her hand as she responded, “I hope I’m not interrupting. You seem lost in thought. Want to talk?”

“Hn.” Sesshomaru didn’t know about that. Did she not know he was not one to discuss such private matters so freely?

“Alright,” She continued, flipping a lock of black hair behind her shoulder, “I’ll do the talking then. You seemed pretty tense in there earlier… So, I wanted to check on you. Offer some reflections, too, if you’ll take them.”

Reflections? The dog demon’s ears nearly perked up at this. Yet he stayed silent.

“I have a feeling your sudden concern for Rin’s safety isn’t because you don’t trust us to take care of her. You just… want her to be able to rely on herself more. For her own protection. Am I thinking in the right direction?” The priestess prodded, arching an eyebrow at him. He glanced at her, not yet wanting to respond.

“If it is that, then I applaud you. You’re doing what any parent should do: help their child be more self-sufficient and give them the skills they’ll need for life instead of coddling her. I can imagine it’s a little scary, though.”

“It is not scary. I fear nothing.” Sesshomaru countered, crossing his arms and staring straight ahead. Kagome joined his gaze towards mountains across what must be countless kilometers of meadows.

“Uncomfortable, then,” Kagome corrected. Sesshomaru paused.

“Perhaps.”

“I was in a similar situation with Shippo not too long ago… When we were battling Naraku, even the idea of leaving him on his own while we fought was agonizing. He wasn’t very good at fighting or even that skilled in trickery back then. I was always worried that if I or someone else weren’t right there with him, he’d be hurt somehow.”

At the feeling of a warm hand reassuringly resting on his upper arm, Sesshomaru looked down at the woman beside him in surprise. First hugs. Now this? Touching him? These humans… He admonished himself for becoming too informal with them. Though, he did not feel any urgent pressure to remove her hand.

“You’re doing the right thing. That’s all I want to say.” Sesshomaru listened intently, nodding his head to acknowledge her words. Though he didn’t give a verbal response, Kagome somehow understood that he appreciated the sentiment. Suddenly, the miko blurted out a rather unrefined, yet utterly authentic, laugh. His eyebrow arched.

“What, miko?”

“Kagome,” she insisted, brushing a tear away from her eye as began to laugh harder. He stared at her incredulously. “Call me Kagome. But on the real note—I’m laughing because I just realized you were suckered into letting Kohaku train with you both. That should be entertaining… He… He must be terrified!”

Sesshomaru pursed his lips. Why would the boy be? He’d traveled and fought with Sesshomaru before. It’s not like he was going to hurt the young boy.

“Now, why is that?”

Kagome looked up at him head on, eyes gleaming under the starry night.

“Because… It’s so obvious that they are in the thralls of puppy love!”

Sesshomaru stared at her with a blank expression.

Puppy… what?

———

[*All characters belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi! Please enjoy some KohRin. I’ve been obsessed with this ship lately as an act of rebellion against what we were given in HnY… But I’m also a sucker for some sesskag, so there might be some sprinkling of it in here, too. I love the idea of Sesshomaru (like any other dad) struggling to come to terms with his daughter entering a new phase of life and his place in it! He’s treading new waters. I’m not for sure how long this will end up being… Nonetheless, please enjoy!]

#inuyasha sequel #inuyasha fanfic #kohrin #sesskag fanfiction #KohRin fanfiction #a sprinkle of my two new fave ships #anti sessrin #sesshomaru and kagome #papa Sesshomaru #anti yashahime #canon divergent #feudal era inuyasha

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