Little Did They Know

The next few weeks

The next few weeks were like a whirlwind of changes. Toga had personally gone to the orphanage to confront the Matron's husband. He came home with bloody knuckles but refused to explain to Rin what had happened.

"It's been handled." Is all the information he was willing to divulge.

Two day's later the orphanage was closed and the inhabitants had been moved to a new orphanage. One that Toga himself had petitioned the city and put a reasonable sum of money down to open. He himself selected the staff, who had to pass extensive background checks in order to get a position.

Sesshoumaru let his father know that Rin had a bit of PTSD from her time at the orphanage and she couldn't sleep without him. Toga wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of the two teens sleeping together.

As a compromise, he hired a contractor to come in and connect the guest bedroom to Sesshoumaru's by a bathroom and had a second sink and vanity installed as well.

Once the construction plans for the upgrades were laid out and finalized, Toga sat Rin and Sesshoumaru down and had a serious talk with them. "Now, I fully trust both of you. However, you are both at that age where hormones can sometimes influence your judgment. I fully understand and sympathize with this very delicate situation." He said, looking at Rin and smiling weakly.

Rin blushed and started ringing her hands. Sesshoumaru noticed this and grabbed her hands, rubbing them soothingly in his as he continued to listen to his father.

Toga took a mental note of his son's action and smiled approvingly at him. 'Such a gentle and protective boy. He's growing into such a fine young man.'

Toga shifted on his couch cushion, leaning his elbows on his knees and folding his hands together before continuing his speech. "Now, Rin.." He looked at the girl with such love in his eyes. She was like a daughter to him, and he just couldn't get over the terrible wrong that had been done to the poor child.

He had considered, once before, moving the girl in, after noticing the bruises and welts on her arms and legs. He was kicking himself now, he felt responsible.

"Sesshoumaru has explained to me that you are having trouble sleeping alone at night. To me, it's totally understandable and given the circumstances, I have concluded that it only makes sense that you be able to sleep with Sesshoumaru for the time being."

Rin entailed deeply, tears forming in her eyes again as she smiled at Toga. But, before she could say anything, he raised his hand for continued silence. "But, there will be strict rules." He began, "The door will stay open at all times. You will not change your clothing in front of each other, and you will wear appropriate sleepwear. You will also sleep with separate blankets."

Toga paused for a moment and turned to Sesshoumaru. Who seemed, in his opinion, a bit too excited about this development. "And if even once I walk into that room and something unseemly is going on, Rin will sleep in my bed and me on the floor until the construction is complete. Which I really do not want to do because I love my bed and really need the rest. I have many things to do while I am in town." He finished very sternly.

Rin couldn't help but marvel at the authority about Toga. He was firm yet, very loving at the same time. She could barely remember her own father and it was so nice to have one around again.

Sesshoumaru nodded at his father. "I understand perfectly, and I will not disappoint you." He said in a very mature tone. "I care deeply for Rin. She is very important to me, father. And.. Well.. Given the circumstances. I..." Sesshoumaru looked at Rin and then back to his father. A look of sadness mingled with pure rage upon his face. "I would never even think to go there, sir." He finished, crossing his arms and leaning back into the couch cushion. His anger towards that bastard pedophile lit anew.

Toga smiled at his son, knowing exactly how he felt. He had such admiration for his son's need to protect this girl. He really was growing into being such a wonderful young man.

Later that night

Sesshoumaru sat down with Rin at the computer and let her pick out her very own furniture. She was uncomfortable with the idea at first but, with a little coaxing, she was able to pick out quite a few very nice things.

They ordered a full sized futon with a low wooden bedframe. A nightstand, a wardrobe, a dresser, a bookshelf, and a desk and chair.

Sesshoumaru was so happy to be able to provide for his beloved Rin. He didn't care about the price, he didn't even consider it. He knew he had the money to cover it, money had never been a concern of his. But, when Rin saw the total she started to freak out a little bit.

"Sesshy... That's way too much... Let's just get the bed, I don't need anything else, really.." She begged, desperate for him not to spend so much money on her.

Sesshoumaru smiled at her, almost amused. "Rin... I want to do this. And you cannot stop me." He said. He had decided to completely ignore her inability to accept his help. He had decided that first day on the playground, that he was going to take care of her, and that was the end of it. Totally set in stone.

She continued to protest but, Sesshoumaru ignored her as he quickly pressed the checkout button.

"It's already done Rin, there's no taking it back now," Sesshoumaru said with a smirk.

Rin bent her head down, looking at the floor. She was just so embarrassed. Embarrassed about what he had seen, embarrassed that she had no other place to go but his house, and really embarrassed that she couldn't even afford simple necessities like bedroom furniture or food.

She felt helpless and lost. She loved this boy, loved him so much it physically hurt, wanting desperately to be released. Her chest tightened and those traitorous tears started to fall. She hated herself in this moment.

She wanted to take care of him, keep him safe... But, it was always the other way around. He was always saving her, always caring for her. Ever since that very first day on the playground.

The candy thief would never be anything more than a parisite, a leech. And she hated that about herself.

Rin covered her face with her hands, no longer able to hold back the sobs that had been threatening her all day.

Sesshoumaru's eye's widened and he immediately wrapped his arms around Rin, pulling her into his chest.

"Rin.." It was a command and a question all in one.

"I..I jjjust.. I'm just so... Ussseeless..." She stuttered out between sobs. She wanted to pull away from him, desperately not wanting to burden him further but, she just couldn't. She grabbed onto his shirt, pushing her face further into his muscular chest, letting out heavy sobs into him.

Sesshoumaru felt so many emotions in this moment. He tightened his grip on the girl sobbing into his chest and rested his chin on her head.

He was sad that she felt this way. He knew she felt like a burden but, he just didn't feel the same way. He genuinely wanted to take care of her, he never felt like it was a task. Because to him, it Just wasn't. Taking care of this girl was what kept him going, it filled him with such happiness. A purpose he had never had before.

He was also angry. Angry at the situation and at that awful man. How dare he put his hand's on his beloved Rin. She belonged to him. Rin was his. She was beautiful and perfect and that bastard defiled her like she was nothing. He wanted to kill him. He half wished that he had killed him when he had the chance.

He was also slightly confused. He never understood why she wouldn't just accept his help. He loved this girl with all his heart. Everything good about Sesshoumaru was, in some way, connected to Rin. Without her, he wouldn't be the person he was today. He couldn't understand how she didn't see how much she actually did for him. Rin was the light at the end of his tunnel. His shining star. Every single beat of his heart. He couldn't live without her.

Sesshoumaru sighed heavily into her hair. "That's ridiculous. You do more for me than I could ever do for you. It's just money, Rin. It's just paper. It mean's very little in my mind." He said, kissing the top of her head. "What matters to me is you. Making sure you're safe and taken care of... And..." He nuzzled her hair, "Forever being close to you... If I never had to let you go... I wouldn't." He finished, resting his cheek against her head.

Rin took in his words, not understand at all what she could possibly have ever done for him. She was confused but his words were oddly calming to her. Her sobs ceased almost immediately. Soaking in every syllable he spoke.

She looked up at him, her eyes red and cheeks wet from salty tears.

Sesshoumaru met her gaze, a gentle smile crossing his lips. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," Sesshoumaru said to her, leaning down and planting a deep and passionate kiss on her plump, rosy lips.

Rin's eyes widened for a moment before closing, succumbing to her savor. She leaned into his kiss, pulling her arms around his neck, her chest now pressed against his.

Sesshoumaru was a little shocked by her response, feeling her budding chest against his sent shivers down his whole body. His hands ran up and down her body, pulling her closer and deeper into his kiss.

'Damn... This girl will be the death of me..'

Sesshoumaru heard his father's footsteps coming down the stairs and panic rose in his chest.

He pulled away quickly, setting Rin gently down on the floor beside him. Both breathless and rosy cheeked. He realized in that moment that he needed to be more careful with her. He could not open that door for her. She was clearly damaged by the abuse she'd experienced. And he was not going to add to it.

It wasn't that he didn't want her. Because damn it, he did. But, she had no impulse control. She had no idea what was too far. He would forever have to be the one to draw that line and watch it carefully.

He looked away from her as Toga entered the room.

"So, do we have furniture for our little Rin-chan?" He asked, a wide smile on his face.

Rin looked up at him, returning his smile. "Yup, Sesshy just ordered it!" She said, a little too enthusiastically.

Sesshoumaru looked at his father happily, "It should all arrive sometime next week." He answered, pushing previous thought's from his mind, the satisfaction of taking care of the girl returning to him ten-fold.

"Well, good! The construction should be done a few weeks from then. We'll store everything in the garage until her room is ready." Toga said, rubbing his hands together.

Nothing made Toga happier than progress. It was deeply ingrained in him that time was money. So, it always made him excited when things happened quickly and went exactly to plan.

"I'm nearly finished with the business I have here in town. But, I do need to return to Australia immediately." He said, the excitement fading away as he looked down at his son. He always hated leaving him, and especially now, with the current situation. But, his business depended on him returning as soon as possible.

He wanted to be there for his son and Rin in this time of need. But, he also knew that Sesshoumaru was strong enough to deal with this without him. He knew he had raised him right.

'Or, rather, Rin had saved him just in time...'

Sesshoumaru smiled at him, "We'll be fine. I got this, dad." He said reassuringly.

Toga clapped his hands together happily, "Great! Well, I have a late dinner meeting with the CEO of Emo Technologies. Hoping to sign that deal tonight." He said as he swiftly left the room.

Sesshoumaru stared after his dad smiling. He was proud of his father and knew that he wanted to follow in his footsteps. He was so successful and he made it seem so effortless. Sesshoumaru desperately wanted to be like that.

He looked down at Rin, who was staring at the laptop again, clicking through different things.

'But... There will always be something I want more..'

The candy thief and the lost boy... Little did they know that this was the beginning of their forever.