Till The End Of Time [Inuyasha Fanfiction ]
Chapter 43's

Sesshoumaru stood silently staring out at the winter night from his study. Wearing a white kimono with a western emblem, he had stripped the iron armor and also the swords of Bakusaiga and Tessaiga on his desk. His ears could still hear clearly the sounds of laughter, mockery as well as the shouts from the garden of the eastern pavilion of the western Palace. Her birthday party is still not over even though it is almost midnight. The average audience was drunk, and he was sure that the party would last until tomorrow morning.

Sesshoumaru had left his party when Inukimi was drunk. He does not want to serve Inukimi who can be angry, laugh and even attack him every second. Not to mention Inuyasha who is also drunk. The Hanyou uprooted Tensaiga from all that was, and nothing stopped him, for his drunken wife and human friends cheered. However, the real reason he left the party was because Rin was no longer there.

Rin has also left the party. As the night falls, Kagome, Inuyasha and the others begin to get drunk, the human girl resigns from the party to look after Shiro, Aya, Maya and Mamoru. The departure of the human girl was certainly initially opposed by many, however, they could not help it as Rin smiled sweetly and transmitted herself politely.

Steadily gazing at the winter snow ahead, Sesshoumaru's mind returns with what he saw in Rin's feast, dance and song presented as his birthday present. No matter how hard he tried to forget it, he could not. Every time he closed his eyes, he would remember every movement as well as every lyric of the song that the human girl sung to him—attention as well as love for him.

Sesshoumaru's nose and ears suddenly caught the smell and sound of familiar footsteps. Not moving in the slightest, he heard the soft voice of someone calling his name. "Sesshoumaru-sama, can Rin come in?"

Sesshoumaru did not reply, but he could hear the shoji door of his study open, because the girl already knew, if she was silent, it meant yes. Not one bit did he turn his head back to look at Rin who he knew had entered his study. He could clearly hear Rin's rapid heartbeat, but most importantly he could clearly feel the girl's nervousness.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," call Rin slowly. "I'm sorry Rin.."

Not understanding Rin's intentions, Sesshoumaru turned to face Rin who was sitting on his knees on a tatami. The girl had also replaced the long red kimono with a gold embroidered western emblem with a simple white kimono. The moment their golden and brown eyes met, the inuyoukai could see and feel the sadness of the girl who suddenly appeared.

"Pardon Rin, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin repeated again. Her brown eyes glazed over holding back the tears that were already about to drip down. "R-rin has humiliated Sesshoumaru-sama. N-no Rin should be dancing and singing at the party. A despicable human like Rin does not deserve to dance in front of everyone. Rin tida"

"Rin, enough." cut Sesshoumaru short in his flat voice.

Rin immediately fell silent and lowered his head down and held back his sobs that had broken. He's sad, very sad. As he learns of Sesshoumaru's birthday, he desperately searches for a gift for the inuyoukai. However, he did not find it. He could not give her jewels, silk cloths or other valuables, for he did not have them. Everything he had came from Sesshoumaru, even the flowers he grew also came from that inuyoukai. That's why he tried hard to think of a gift that really was something from him that could be worshiped to Sesshoumaru, namely dance and singing.

Making up the song and creating the dance, how Rin hopes Sesshoumaru will like it, hoping that the inuyoukai will be able to understand how much he adores and respects it. However, it seemed that he was wrong, that inuyoukai did not like him, he instead had humiliated the Western Land, tarnishing its western name by presenting the song and dance of a despicable human in the birthday party of the ruler.

Sesshoumaru looked at Rin in silence. He could hear and smell the salty sobs of the human girl. His golden eyes turned blood red. There was anger in his heart. Faint the western name? Not worth dancing and singing? Humilious man? Who told Rin that? He's gonna kill her!

Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru tried hard to hold back his emotions as well as keep his voice flat as usual. "Who told you that?"

Still not raising his head. Rin replied slowly. "Nobody said it. But Rin knew, Rin herself could feel it."

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes upon hearing Rin's reply. His blood-red eyes immediately returned to gold. Confusion filled his heart. He did not understand why Rin could think like that. But a moment later, he felt funny. This attitude and thought was indeed Rin's attitude. Ever since she was a little girl, she had always thought about and worried about something that was not true. The girl always tries to give her best and is afraid of disappointing someone.

"Rin's dancing and singing are inappropriate... R-Rin, Rin.." Rin cried again while blessing both hands to cover her face.

Approaching Rin, Sesshoumaru knelt in front and stared fixedly at the human girl. Not deserved? Yes, yes; inappropriate. Rin's dancing and singing did not deserve to be performed at the party, because in that place, no one there was worthy to see it. Rin's dancing and singing were too beautiful and luxurious for them.

"Rin," call Sesshoumaru slowly. His right hand gently and carefully touched the human girl's chin and loosened it until their eyes met. The tears that kept flowing and the sadness on Rin's face, made Sesshoumaru feel dislike. Moving his right hand again, he wiped away the tears. His golden eyes focused on Rin. "You won't dance and sing in front of people anymore."

Rin's tears were flowing down her cheeks. His heart hurts. He failed, really has failed, Sesshoumaru-sama did not like his reward.

"Only in front of me. You can only sing and dance in front of me."

Rin's tears stopped immediately. Both of his brown eyes were wide in surprise. "S-sesshoumaru-sama.."

"Your beautiful dancing and singing don't deserve to be seen."

The wide brown eyes are only getting worse. Rin could not believe what he was hearing now. Is beautiful? Sesshoumaru-sama praised her dance and singing? This dream? Did ya? Sesshoumaru-sama never lied, so what he said must be true. The dancing and singing are beautiful; Sesshoumaru-sama likes it. Unstoppable happiness and warmth instantly filled Rin's heart. Tears that had stopped flowing again, the difference is, these are tears of happiness. A big smile on his face.

Sesshoumaru was stunned, not moving. Looking at Rin's smile now, his heart was beating fast like never before. Rin's hand slowly moved touching the hand that wiped her tears. With a smile, he nodded his head. "Yeah. Rin understood. Rin will not dance and sing anymore. Just in front of Sesshomaru-sama alone, Rin will dance and sing, only for Sesshoumaru-sama alone..."

Sesshoumaru did not say anything more. Releasing his hand, he then got up and again walked closer to the window of his open room. Rin did not budge in the least, she remained kneeling where she was with a smile on her face. His brown eyes followed the inuyoukai figure.

Nobody said anything anymore. Both Sesshoumaru and Rin were silent for a moment until finally, Sesshoumaru again started the conversation. "Rin. About your birthday. This Sesshoumaru has decided it."

The smile on Rin's face immediately disappeared upon hearing Sesshoumaru's words. Unmoving, her brown eyes slit back.

Reversing his body, Sesshoumaru's golden eyes again met Rin's brown eyes. "Your birthday is, '" he continued without changing the tone of his voice. "Today."

Rin was silent not knowing what to say. He didn't move a bit. The feeling of surprise that had been attacking him ever since really made him feel like he was dreaming right now. Praise for her dancing and singing, and now, her birthday. Did ya? Is that really what he's hearing now? He was dreaming, he must be dreaming right now!

Slowly, Rin then got up and moved closer to Sesshoumaru. Standing in front of the inuyoukai, with his trembling little hands, he touched the handsome face. "It's a dream, isn't it, Sesshoumaru-sama? Rin was dreaming, right?" tanyakanya.

The warmth and also Rin's questions made Sesshoumaru seem to want to smile. The dreams? No. gabe. It's not a dream, but, reality. Since Inukimi said she was the one who would decide the birthday of the human girl, she thought of spring, when the flowers had bloomed, because she was indeed the Princess of spring. However, he eventually canceled it, canceling it when he felt the desire to have the girl completely.

"You didn't dream Rin. Your birthday is today."

In this world, Sesshoumaru wants Rin to see only himself. For the sake of his attention, mind and heart, he would do everything. Yes, he admitted it for the first time in his life. The human girl he had once lived, not knowing how, had now become something most precious to him. The girl's birthday, no doubt, is today, the same day as the day of her birth, because she is already a part of her.

Tears flowed down Rin's cheeks again, but she smiled. Why did he become so whiny today? I don't know why, since then his tears have not stopped dripping.

Raising his hand to wipe away the tears, Sesshoumaru looked into Rin's eyes, drowning in the clarity of the pair. "What do you want, Rin? Your birthday present, you name it."

Gems, gold, silk, kimono, flowers, paintings, shamisen, palaces, even if Rin wanted the moon, she would look for her way to give the moon to him. Why can he think like that, he no longer knows, which he now knows is only one; for Rin, everything he will give.

Grasping Sesshoumaru's fist, pressing him until he could feel the warmth of the palm stronger on his cheek, Rin chuckled.

A bounty?

Her birthday present, what does she want? Rin does not need gold or jewels, does not want silk, beautiful kimonos or fancy shamisen, nor with flowers. Actually, it was Sesshoumaru who asked, what he wanted was something funny. He said it a long time ago. It has never changed one bit, from the past to the present, and he is also sure, will not change also in the future. His desire in existence is only one, namely..

"Home together. The gift Rin wants is that Rin wants to be with Sesshoumaru-sama forever.

Sesshoumaru could not hold it anymore. Hearing Rin's answer, the gift she wanted, she knew; to hell with everything! He was the ruler of the western lands, the strongest and powerful youkai, no one dared to judge his attitude. Releasing her hand that Rin was holding, she quickly hugged the girl tightly. His left hand hugged the girl's waist, while his right hand buried the girl's face in the chest.

"Your birthday present, this Sesshoumaru will grant it."

Rin could not hold back her sobs anymore. Raising his hand he returned the embrace equally tightly. His heart felt very sick and claustrophobic; for happiness was indescribable.

Forever together.

That word is very simple. However, Rin was not a self-informed person. Forever together, it is something impossible, because he is a human and Sesshoumaru is a youkai. They will not be together forever. But for now, it's okay, right? It's okay, right if he thinks they'll have forever? Today is his birthday! She can. For today alone, he could think of having forever with Sesshoumaru.

"Home together. Rin wants to be with Sesshoumaru forever.."

Increasingly tightening his embrace, Sesshoumaru drowned his face in Rin's black hair, inhaling the smell of spring that he liked.

Forever together.

Something simple, yet impossible, that was the birthday present Rin wanted, and Sesshoumaru knew it. However, he doesn't care. Yep! It's okay if Rin is human, because with the knowledge, power and power she has, she will stop Rin's time. He'll keep Rin alive as long as he does. Forever together, he will grant it, for he is conscious now, totally conscious. He does not want to lose the girl, he wants the girl to be with him always and forever. Forever together; it was also the birthday gift she wanted the most.

....xoxOx....