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Common Sense
Odd, isn’t it? How that which is given freely is seldom used.
“Honestly, how could you have possibly thought it wise to unearth an inugami? Especially one so recently contained, it could have swallowed you whole!”
“I’m sorry…”
“Jaken, that is enough.”
“Y-Yes, milord..”
Sesshomaru wasn’t sure what to make of this situation. Immediately, he recognized the root of the problem. Or problems, as it was. The issue at hand stemmed from a pair of triangular fuzzy, black ears protruding from the top of Rin’s head. A small part of him foolishly considered that they were mere illusions. But the delusion was dashed as they swiveled with every inflection of Jaken’s voice while he ranted on about inugami and their carnivorous nature.
When the imp’s admonishments reached a particularly harsh sticking point, Rin’s ears — no, he stiffly reminded himself — the ears connected to Rin, pressed back against her curls until their pinked undersides could hardly be seen. Such a look stirred a feeling familiar to Sesshomaru and he swiftly sent a thin wave of jaki toward Jaken who froze immediately at his spoken command. Rin’s shoulders twitched as she let out a soft breath, astonishment plain on her face as she lifted her head, regarding him with familiar brown eyes.
Though the relief he seldom found in them was tinged with curiosity, recognition. Puzzled, Sesshomaru wondered if she felt his jaki as well. Rin had a peculiar sensitivity toward others’ aura. Has this curse heightened her senses in other ways?
Sesshomaru stepped forward then lowered himself to one knee, holding Rin’s gaze all the while. The ears shifted at his approach and his attention snapped to them. How peculiar. If he brushed aside her hair, would he still find the rounded flesh at the side of her head or would it have been gone? His nose twitched. Even her scent had changed.
Brisk, crispness of wildflowers and spring dampened at its edges with a thicker earthiness like the atmosphere before it rained. It could have been because Rin wandered out into the midday storm and it simply followed her. Though, the underlying hint of arousal and the way she rubbed together her thighs had little to do with the weather.
“L-Lord Sesshomaru?”
Sesshomaru tipped his gaze higher to meet Rin’s own. Surprised and not, when she avoided his eyes. Her fists pressed tightly to the divet of her lap as she seemed to squirm.
Was she in pain?
His brow furrowed as he leant closer, inspecting the faint blush creeping across her plump cheeks. Rin’s eyebrows drew together as she pinched her lips. The delicate rosebud of her mouth blossomed as her wide, brown eyes finally met his own. Ah, at this distance, he noticed even her pupils had changed.
“Please don’t stare..”
The request snapped him back to focus. A sudden recoil to body that left him aware of everything. How long had he been watching her? Long enough it seemed for Jaken to scurry away with a hasty pardon to find Ah-Un’s whereabouts. Long enough for him to map out the definition of Rin’s features, the warmth of her breath, and scent because of a lack of distance between them. Rin averted her gaze, not uncomfortably but shy. The ears atop her head twitched downward as she made a soft noise of distress, almost like a whine.
“... And we can’t…”
Sesshomaru’s brow raised. “Can’t?”
“Master Jaken will be back soon with Ah-Un, and they will be able to smell if we..”
His eyes widened as Rin’s mouth snapped shut as if she couldn’t bear to bring herself to finish her thought. A flash of small fangs sharper than her usually blunted teeth almost made him wish she spoke a little longer. Nevertheless, He had smelt a hint of arousal coming from her— but she smelt the same from him? The effects of the curse were… enticing, yet he had far more self-control than to lay her bare in the tall grass… with Jaken and Ah-Un so close at hand.
Drawing back, Sesshomaru rose to his feet then offered his hand to her. Rin’s fingers slipped into his palm as they often would but now he was acutely aware of how slender her fingers were. Though, the claws tipping them were new. From the lingering gaze Rin had, she seemed to think the same.
“… Rin.”
“Yes?”
“We will see to this once we return.”
He could feel the shiver when his thumb brushed against the back of her hand.
“Yes..”