Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are properties of Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan Inc., Viz Communication Inc., Sunrise, etc. I do not own any of them. Also, I do not make any money out of this. This is written for pure fan entertainment and to the fans all around the world! No need to sue me. However, I do own this story.

Writer's note: I. Am. So. SORRY! For NOT posting / updating ANY my fics for LONG time! My work and social life has been kept me AWAY from posting my fics and not to mention WRITING and CHECKING them! (Oh, sure I find time for drawing pics and then posting them into devART… but no time for fics? Oops.) The truth is that I have been re-writing my fics, especially my Weiss Kreuz-fic, "Lonely Souls". (I want to FINISH the fic on THIS year!) My Inuyasha AU-fic, "Demon Priestess" is on hold. :sweatdrop: I will continue with the fic after the Xmas… or not.

Anyways, I wrote this (and also another fic) for my friend, Goddess Rhinnon, as apology fics for not continuing my original fic called "Vox'Lin part 1: Modern Myth" (I kinda lost its plot…) She asked me to write TWO fics about her favorite characters: Sesshoumaru and Rin. One fic, with Sesshoumaru and Rin having this "father and daughter" moment; and another with Sesshoumaru and adult!Rin-relationship. Well, this one is the "father and daughter"-fic. Sort of. :sweatdrop:

Characters: Sesshoumaru, Rin & Jaken

Rating: T

Category: One-shot, some WaFFness, general

Fiction note: Takes its place somewhere after Sesshoumaru brought Rin back to life. Sesshoumaru is confused about the reason why he brought Rin back to the living.

Dedicated to: Goddess Rhinnon I'm really sorry for not continuing the story and I'll try to come up with the new one. :sweatdrop: I hope you like this fic, though.

An Inuyasha Fanfiction

"Hidden Instincts"

Written by M.K. a.k.a. Fall Angel © 2005

The little girl he revived days ago, Rin, wanted to stop at the field of flowers – again. At first, Jaken scolded at the little human for being foolish. But soon enough, the girl got her will through as the inu-taiyoukai decided to hunt down something to eat, leaving the toad-looking youkai to watch over the human child.

When Sesshoumaru met her for the first time, he thought she was a mute, which was correct but she wasn't born as one. She just chose to be one. To some, tragic experience can do that; to some, it made them strong.

After reviving her from the dead, he found out that she was quite a chattering type of a human child. Maybe being alone and unable to speak for long time made her now speak all the time.

Strangest thing was that he didn't mind her childish chattering; like he did whenever Jaken spoke to him.

Why was that?

Even he, the son of deceased Inutaishou, did not know for sure. Nor did he understand why he revived that girl in the first place – that human pup back to life. He told Jaken – that miserable toad-like demon – that he only wanted to test out his father's "gift", Tenseiga if it was worthy to its name.

The "Heavenly Life Fang" - the sword that gives life.

It proved out to be as it should be.

However, was that really the only reason why he used his birth gift? To test it out? Or was there another reason for it? The sword wouldn't have worked if he didn't have any sympathy in his heart to revive the human pup.

It might remain as a mystery to him.

"Aah, Sesshoumaru-sama! That's a fine prey you got!" Jaken praised his lord as Sesshoumaru was carrying a dead deer to their little camp.

The demon lord dropped the prey before the toad-like youkai, giving him a cold gaze. "Cook it."

"Ah? S-Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Cook it…" The white inu-youkai turned to look at the human girl far from them at the flower field. "So that she can eat some of it…"

"Eh! C-cook it for that little ningen! Sesshoumaru-sama! Pardon me for asking but why would you like to feed that worthless little--!"

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru cut in with his cold stare and voice, "Do not make this Sesshoumaru to order you again."

Jaken "eep'ed" in frightened and backed away from his lord, just in case. "H-hai, Sesshoumaru-sama! Right away, milord!"

As Jaken ran off to cook the deer, Sesshoumaru sat down by the tree and observed Rin as she was picking up flowers, once again. The inu-youkai couldn't understand why she loved picking up flowers, they were just plants that grows and that's it. Sure the flowers are beautiful but still… to have them picked up for own amusement – that he didn't understand.

'Ningens…' He sighed, almost inaudibly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Speak of the devil; Sesshoumaru saw from the corners of his eyes the human girl running toward him, carrying different kind and color of flowers.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin brought you flowers! Look! Aren't they beautiful?" The little girl smiled widely and showed her bouquet to the pure-blooded inu-youkai.

"What use are they for? This Sesshoumaru does not see the usefulness in them…"

Rin titled her head to the right cutely, not quite understanding Sesshoumaru's words. "'Cause they're pretty! And Sesshoumaru-sama's pretty too! So Rin thought to bring pretty flowers for Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Hn."

"Oi! Gaki! Get yourself here before I throw this meat away!" Jaken shouted by the cooked meat.

"Hai, Jaken-sama!" Rin placed the flowers into Sesshoumaru's tail and ran to Jaken. The inu-taiyoukai was about to shred the flowers into pieces when suddenly, he caught a foul scent in the air – it was coming from nearby. A lesser youkai's scent.

Indeed, within the woods, there was a mean-looking lesser youkai, lurking and observing the human girl. He was hungry and he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into fresh human flesh – even though the prey was so small. When the moment was right for him, the youkai made his move and rushed forward, fast.

Rin turned her head around at the sound of rustling leaves. She saw the youkai approaching her; she gasped and closed her eyes. With her eyes closed, she waited for the youkai attack her, when she heard a painful howl, which didn't belong to her. The human girl slowly opened her eyes to see what was going on. All she saw was Sesshoumaru's back at her and him holding the monstrous-looking youkai with his remaining hand, high in the air.

"You pitiful, low-life pest… you dare to attack the one who is under this Sesshoumaru's protection?" The words came from his lips automatically – to which he wondered the reason why he said those words.

"Urk… you… are the present inu-taiyoukai…of the Western Lands?" The lesser youkai rasped as he tried to pry the hand from his throat. The hold, though, was strong and firm, which meant death for the lesser youkai.

"That is correct." With that, Sesshoumaru crushed the youkai's throat, which created a nasty cracking sound. He dropped the corpse at his feet. Sesshoumaru covered the whole scene with his own body from Rin's eyes. Something inside him told him to do so.

"Ah and Un, take this trash away from this Sesshoumaru's sight. Far from here."

The dragon grunted 'yes', dung his teeth into the corpse's clothing and took off into the sky. As the dragon flew away, Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder at the human Rin sitting on the grass with her eyes all round. From what, he didn't know for sure; probably from the shock.

"Are you alright?"

"Huh? Rin is fine, Sesshoumaru-sama! Eeto… what just happened?"

"Hm. Nothing that this Sesshoumaru cannot take care of." Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly. "Now, Rin, go to Jaken and eat."

"O-okay, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

He watched the little girl run to Jaken – who was still mildly shocked over his lord's abnormal behaviour just a moment ago. The toad-like youkai wasn't the only one; the Lord of Western Lands himself was shocked (though it didn't show on his face) of his unusual behaviour – for a human girl.

'Why did I, Sesshoumaru, move to protect her? What made this Sesshoumaru do act so?' The silver inu-youkai stared at his remaining hand that just killed the lesser being moment ago. 'Why indeed?'

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Come eat! There's still something for you to eat!" The little girl waved at him cheerfully. Her smile caused something stir within him, which he pushed aside as he approached the campfire with Rin and Jaken sitting close by to it.

Had the demon lord looked at that very moment at his waist where Tenseiga was, he could've noticed how the katana shimmered with pale blue light. As if it had the wisdom of Sesshoumaru's father, Inutaishou, placed within it. As if the sword itself knew, what was happening to its new master.

Somewhere deep within Sesshoumaru, something wonderful was blooming; the instincts of a father, for Rin. For now, there was only a tiny spark of it within him. Eventually, the time for it to bloom completely will arrive, until then Sesshoumaru will follow this unknown instinct more than once.

Without him knowing them for sure…

-OWARI-

Translations:

1. inu-taiyoukai great demon dog.
2. youkai "demon", "monster" and so on. However, it is actually a more general term used to describe a creature, which has magical and/or spiritual powers and tends to be evil.
3. Tenseiga the "Heavenly Life Fang". 'Tensaiga' is Sesshoumaru's sword, which was given to him after his father's death and done by Totousai.
4. –sama a more respectful (even reverent) version of –san; means, "ma'am", "mistress", "lady", "lord" or "sir".
5. inu-youkai dog-demon.
6. ningen human.
7. oi! hey!
8. gaki brat.
9. hai yes.
10. eeto similar to 'anoo'; "well", "er…"
11. katana a Japanese sword.
12. owari the end.

First draft: August 08 – August 10, 2005
Re-written & second draft: September 16 – September 20, 2005

After talk: Well! It had been long time since I wrote any Inuyasha one-shots! Ooh… this one was quite short one. :sweatdrop: I couldn't help it though. I'll have to re-check it some other day, when I got enough time.