Chapter Text
Learning about medicinal herbs was one of Rin’s favorite hobbies.
It had become a passion when she was growing up, and she diligently tried to live up to Kaede’s standards. That was why she was out in the field, rather than…anywhere else.
Kaede’s death had been hard for her.
She should be accustomed to it, but she feared death a little more each day. She did have someone in her life that wouldn’t die. Lord Sesshoumaru would never die. He came to visit her unchanging for years.
She hummed under her breath as she gathered the herbs. It was just the slightest movement and she saw a young man coming from the village. He seemed to have run from the mourning too.
“Kohaku,” she said.
He looked up, and smiled, though his eyes were grim. Rin smiled back and was going to approach him when she felt something grab her ankle. She fell and felt herself being dragged through the field.
“Rin!”
“The priestess here is dead,” something hissed around her. Celebrating. “I’ll make fodder out of you first.”
She didn’t scream. She didn’t have time. Before the serpent’s mouth could claim her neck, someone’s fist was in its mouth. Kohaku used the serpent’s fangs to trap it, close, and then drew his blade across its neck.
Blood spilled out into the field’s meadow.
She stared up at him, shocked. She reached out and steadied him. His muscles were tense under her touch.
“Be calm,” she said. “Lady Kagome will help you.”
“I’ll be fine,” he said. And he withdrew his hand from hers. “Please do not trouble anyone.”
“There could be poison,” she said.
“I have a trick for it,” he said, sitting down. “Don’t trouble yourself.”
He took a small pouch out of his armor. There was a small, clay vial in his hand.
He’d always been different, she knew that–she knew in the same way that she was different from her circumstances. But coming back from the dead–
She could hardly remember. She just remembered she didn’t want to do so again, and he had just….
“You leapt into danger,” she said. “How did you do that?”
She was used to seeing half-demons leap into danger, and yes, his friends. But that–sticking one’s hand into a fanged mouth that could kill you–Rin knelt down to watch. He looked over at her as if he would like to do it privately, but his hands were beginning to shake.
“Let me help you,” she said. “I can help.”
“...all right,” he said. “Take the vial and pour it onto my wound. I can’t steady my hand. It has to go evenly into the wound.”
Rin’s hands were quite steady, but less so, when she saw what came out of the vial. Some sort of demonic powder, and Kohaku didn’t even flinch. But she could see his hand start to shake more.
“Poison to counteract poison. I’m pretty immune to this stuff.”
He leaned against the tree, and shook his head. As if this was all nothing to him. Rin watched him in some fascination, and then sat beside him. He was not a frequent visitor, and she often wondered what had happened to him. That he came to honor Kaede wasn’t a surprise.
That he stayed so long was…
“You saved my life,” she said. He looked nervous, as if he couldn’t accept the praise, but he nodded once.
“Why were you out here so far?”
“--I couldn’t bear to stay,” she said. “I’m sorry. I got you hurt.”
“I’m the one who shoved my fist into a demon’s mouth,” he said, laughing. “I’m sure there was another way to do it, but I couldn’t see it.”
Rin considered it. It was a very reckless thing to do. “You weren’t thinking.”
“I was,” he said. He stood up. She looked surprised. “I’ve got to be on my way.”
“You can’t leave now. You’re hurt.”
“That’s why I’m leaving,” he said. “Please don’t tell anyone.”
Rin knew he was different. She had known him for years, although he was always scare. He didn't seem to want to be around anyone for years. But that didn’t mean she was going to let him…simply walk off. She stepped in his way, holding up her hands.
“Kohaku. I’d like to help you if I can. I know something about herbs. I can help. I’d like to after you so kindly saved me.”
“You don’t really leave this village, do you?” he asked, puzzled.
And she didn’t. She had enjoyed her travels with Lord Sesshoumaru, but she was not a traveler at this age. Traveling with him had been different. Traveling with others…and she didn’t like to go far from where he knew she was…
“You’re really leaving,” she sputtered out, as he walked past her. And she usually didn’t speak so, but she raised her voice. “Don’t. You need someone to watch over you.”
It didn’t seem to be her, but in this situation, she’d have to be the one.
“I don’t like to stay here,” he said. “I’m sorry but I’m not going to bother anyone else today.”
“...”
He turned, and she knew he was the most confusing person to her at this moment. One of the most confusing people. She could let him go his way. Judging by his body language, he was resisting showing any weakness.
But…
“I’m coming with you,” she said.
She hurried up to walk by his side. And she saw the wound had darkened on his hand, and he hadn’t said too much about pain.
“I don’t want help, Rin.”
She was silent, refusing to argue. He had been too brave for her to argue. She simply smiled, as if trying to calm someone down. It worked once. Except he stared a beat too long before turning away.
He had reached his horse. Then he held out his hand. He must have reached the conclusion that she wasn’t going to let it go. She climbed up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders to steady herself.
Her determination surprised her as they left the village. Her heart started to pound nervously, and she didn’t know why she had left except that…she couldn’t let someone who walked away with their back so tense go. He had treated his life like nothing.
It was both fascinating and scary.
“You’ll see. My hand will be fine, and you came all this way for nothing,” he said.
“To know you’ll be fine is not nothing,” she said. “I’m glad you know such a skill. I wish I knew things like that. I was learning from Lady Kaede the most…”
She trailed off.
Her sadness had returned. He looked over his shoulder.
“--She meant a lot to you,” he said.
“Yes,” she said. “She did.”
Kohaku was just quiet, as he was always a little quiet. She couldn’t believe how much he had changed. She realized that she was trying to make a friend out of him.
“You know, this isn’t so bad.” He was quiet, so she became quiet. It wasn’t until dusk started to settle that she noticed his quiet was strange. She looked at his hand and it was swollen red. The cuts from the fangs stood out on his skin.
He was trying to hold it together, to be so calm, and Rin started to feel…more connected to him. She was quiet as he rode his horse into a clearing and then he told her to dismount.
“I can’t go further,” he said. He looked terrible. Rin felt a slice of fear go through her. Why had he been so destructive?
“It’s all right,” she said, and as she dismounted, she touched his shoulder to steady him. He looked at her then, it seems, truly looking. “It really is all right,” she repeated. “You don’t have to go further tonight.”
“I guess I was an idiot with that toxin,” he said.
“I think it was brilliant,” she said. And she truly did. “I’ll keep this a secret, Kohaku.”
She meant it in its entirety. No one needed to know how reckless it was. It would only cause harm to him. She knew it somehow. She even related a bit. It was too revealing. Suddenly she felt as if he had revealed himself to her in the moment of saving her.
He seemed to relax then.
“Let me,” she said.
He seemed to want to fight that, but his body was weakened. He nodded and she made sure to move quickly. Not to crowd his space by her continued presence, but she moved a respectful distance away.
“Thank you,” he said, with true relief. “For saying that.”
She knew some of his story, what she had been told, and now that felt like none of her business. She was seeing it play out in front of her. And she knew how much it took to keep scars hidden.
She knew suddenly that he hadn’t had to strike that snake in the mouth. She looked at him and felt something come over her. It was a soft determination that stepped in front of all her hesitations.
“I know you don’t like to talk,” she said. “But I was wondering…if you would like someone to keep you company.”
“Me?” he asked. “...I’m not that…well, it’s not a peaceful journey.”
“I don’t mind.”
She did. She did mind. But she pushed it aside. She kept seeing him leap in front of her. Perfectly aware of what he was doing. Everyone had given him what he wanted…
To be left alone.
She didn’t want to give him what he wanted.
“You want to come with me. Really,” he said.
There was a mixture of emotions in his voice, understated. But there was the fact that she was wrong. Maybe he did want her to come along.
“Yes, Kohaku,” she said. Then she paused. “I don’t want to be in the village right now. It’s not the same place.”
“It was that bad for you, huh,” he said, and he was the first person to see her wear her feelings. She had taken on a stoic posture, but it was fading now.
“I won’t be myself if I stay,” she said. “I’d like to go anywhere else.”
It took a great deal for her to say it. Just as much as it took for him to accept.
They met each other halfway.