Before the Oncoming Storm

By Zaru

Summary: The great Inutaisho has returned full force from the world of spirits. He follows the scent of his youngest son only to become mesmerized by the sweet scent of Sesshomaru's ward left behind in the village.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. It was created by Rumiko Takahashi.

A/n: Wow! A quick chapter done once more by me! Yay! I hope you like this.

~~~~~~Chapter 5~~~~~~

Rin decided to leave Inutaisho behind sadly, but it didn't seem like he was angry. He had done such a thing to a 13-year-old girl, so he understood her feelings. Even though he felt like there was something deep inside of him that wanted to hold her, there was a chance it was just a sudden impulse of human warmth that was next to him. Truthfully, her scent was intoxicating, she was an innocent and she was also the first human in a long time that he could truly be himself around.

He stared up into the trees, only seeing rays of sunshine shining through. I'm just being an old fool. I have been gone for such a long time, so of course I will do such a thing to a sweet girl like that.

That was true. Him being a demon with an insatiable desire wasn't anything he was proud of, but it was apart of who he was. Even so, he did recall a few times, that with Izayoi being pregnant with Inuyasha, he was unable to be satisfied by her, so he had turned to several demonesses for satisfaction. Thinking that he could have fallen for Rin was a possibility, but thinking about it now, he was unsure. Could you possibly fall for somebody after knowing them for two days? No, he thought, it was definitely impossible. At least for him. She was just a close body that he could hold. At least, that is what he began to tell himself.

Now, with his thoughts on Rin, he wondered what would happen if Sesshomaru found out about what he did with the human. It made him shudder to think of the possibilities of punishments his son could come up with just for sharing a small kiss with her. If it could even be called a kiss. Maybe Rin would not say a word to him, but then again she told him a lot of stuff. Maybe I should head back to the village now, just in case.

Standing up, he stretched and regaled in the warmth of the sun's rays once before heading back.

Rin ran into the village to the hut she shared with Kaede. Shoving the bamboo door aside, she escaped inside. When she saw she was alone, she bent down hands on her knees, panting for air. She had ran as fast as she could once out of sight of Inutaisho. Now, being by her lonesome, she could sort out the happenings.

Inutaisho had kissed her. He said he had the urge to do just that. But she pondered the real meaning behind it though. Even if what he said was true about her being special and making his heart beat fast, did it mean he had those kind of feelings for her? Rin had those kind of feelings before with a boy in the village when she had first got there.

She accidentally bumped into them, both of them falling down the hill. When they stopped rolling, her body was lying on top of his and her heart pounded. It was pretty much the rush of being so close to another that it happened. And Rin figured those were the feelings that made Inutaisho kiss her. It was just in the moment. Both of their faces were so close, sometimes two people felt like they had to kiss or something like that. And anyways, she didn't love Inutaisho right? She liked him, but she didn't love him. Not like she loved Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru had always been by her side in the last five years, never once complaining about her presence or whether she annoyed him or not. Being so close to him, it almost felt like having an older brother around to care for her. That was why she loved him most of all. He made her feel safe and when she was in his arms, there was such a security surrounding them, it always made her smile. That had to be the same feeling she had when Inutaisho was around. But that didn't explain the feeling in her stomach that still had not gone away since she left him behind.

Rin shook her head. Sure she was grown up, but she still had a lot to learn about feelings that grown-ups felt when with another. Feelings were such a strong word to even think about. So many emotions welled up inside her right now. But it didn't happen until that one kiss Inutaisho gave her. Her cheeks flushed once more, her hands cupping her face. Could I truly like him? Really like him?

The door to the hut was pushed aside revealing Inuyasha who was carrying some wood under his left arm.

"Hey, Rin. When'd you get back?"

"Huh?" She turned quickly to see the half-dog demon. "Eh, hi, Lord Inuyasha. I just got back a short time ago." She stood up straight and wore that smile on her face. "Can I help you with that?"

"Eh? Oh, yeah sure." He laid the bundle gently in both her arms, weighing them down a bit. "Be careful with those. I'm going to get more." He was ready to turn as she set the wood down on the floor in the corner. Taking a quick sniff, he noticed the scent of his father surrounding the girl. Why does she smell so strongly of him? "Do you want to come help me?"

"Yes, of course I'll come help!" She nodded quickly and followed the half-demon out.

The half-demon and human girl walked through the village passing by different people saying hello or just ignoring them. Inuyasha was a little ticked by this new scent surrounding the young girl, so he felt he had the right to know what might have occurred.

"Rin, why do you smell like my father?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" She asked innocently.

Inuyasha folded his arms in his fire-rat haori. "You smell like my father, Rin. Were you two together somewhere?" He asked, now curious. He knew the two of them had been close the last couple days, but she never smelt like his dad that strongly before. It made him stop in his tracks when they were finally out of the village. "Rin, did he do something to you? Did he lay his hands on you?" His clawed hands grabbed onto her shoulders.

"N-no. We met in the forest and we sat and talked for a little bit." She was blushing, she knew it. There was a chance Inuyasha might found out what happened and she couldn't live with the fact that he might try to hurt Inutaisho.

"Only talked? Is that all?" He was very worried now. "You smell like you were doing something else besides talking. What really happened, Rin? Did he touch you inappropriately?" When she didn't answer, he growled. "Rin!"

The girl's brown eyes turned sad as she looked into Inuyasha's yellow ones. "He…he…just kissed me. That's all." She whispered, averting her gaze to the ground.

The half-demon's eyes widened. "Did you allow him to?"

"I-I wasn't expecting it. And it wasn't even a kiss really. His lips touched mine for just a second but I pulled away from him. Honestly." She brought her gaze back to his. "I promise. It was nothing bad."

Inuyasha let out a heavy sigh. He would have to take that answer. At least for now. Rin had never lied to them before, so he should have believed her. But there might be an interrogation with his father later. Of course, Inuyasha hoped Sesshomaru didn't find out what happened. Otherwise, he probably would try to kill their father who they just got back from the land of the dead.

It was a little later in the day when Sesshomaru had made his way back into the village. It was his last day to spend there with Rin and he intended to spend the rest of the day and part of the evening with her, albeit a quiet time. The demon lord made his way toward the guest hut he occupied wondering if Rin had waited for him at all. But she wasn't there. It didn't show on his stoic face, but he was rather disappointed. Usually, she was all up for waiting his return, but this time she was nowhere in sight. Narrowing eyes, he turned away from the building gazing around for any signs of his young ward. Rin, where could you be?

She had bathed, scrubbing wildly to get the scent of Inutaisho off her, if there was any, hoping that Sesshomaru wouldn't notice nor ask her about the relationship between the two of them. Now, she was dressed in the new kimono Sesshomaru recently brought for her. It was a special day. It was the last day that her lord would see her for awhile and she wanted to look a little nice for him. And what better way to show she cared about their time together than to look beautiful for him. Rin smiled thinking of what she and him would do together. The girl thought of taking a walk, maybe a picnic in the meadow and a little stargazing perhaps. A giggle escaped her as she imagined the feared demon sitting in a meadow of flowers happily eating a meal she made with a flower wreath on his head. Her eyes rolled as she continued laughing.

Rin walked a little through the village before she sat on a fence that surround the village barn where the horses, cows and other animals were kept. Her feet wanted a rest, but there was nowhere else to sit. The ground was dirt so ruining her kimono just for a seat was a big no-no.

Where could he be, she wondered. He had not appeared much in between the last two days there with her. She wondered if he was just worried about leaving his lands unoccupied for such a long time. Perhaps he might have already left for the time being but didn't have the time to tell her. If he did, she was very disappointed. Her chocolate eyes turned sad until she head quiet footsteps approaching.

"Rin." She heard a deep voice call to her.

"Eh, Lord Sessho-" Her voice stopped. It wasn't Sesshomaru, but Inutaisho.

Inutaisho saw the blush creeping up her cheeks and turned her face toward the ground. He smiled small. She's just so innocent. No wonder I wanted to kiss her so much. "Rin, are you waiting for Sesshomaru?" She nodded a little. "I see. I'm sorry if I disappointed you at all."

Her eyes glanced back up at him. "N-no it's not like that, Lord Inutaisho. I'm happy to see you. I'm not disappointed that you aren't Lord Sesshomaru." Her innocent face made him want to kiss her again.

"I see. But you are waiting for him, Rin. I do hope he remembered that he was to be with you for awhile until his departure once more."

The 13-year-old rubbed her sandaled feet against the dirt on the ground, moving them front to back. "I know, but I can't seem to find him anywhere." A low sigh escaped her. "I wonder if he did already leave to go back. It's not like he hasn't done that before."

"He's left you without word before now?" The great dog demon stepped forward only a few front from Rin.

"Yes. Sometimes he would stay the day or stay overnight, but lately it seems he's more worried about some affairs that have been happening on the Western Lands."

Inutaisho nodded and covered the distance between the two. He was now leaning against the fence by her side gazing up at the sky. It was going to be dark soon. Perhaps in a couple of hours. He felt sorry that the young charge wouldn't be able to spend a happy day in the sun with Sesshomaru like she wanted. How could he leave her alone like he does? He understood about leaving her in the human village because to learn how to live with humans again, but did he ever leave her with a choice?

"Has he ever given you the choice of continuing to follow him, Rin? Or did he plan to leave you here for the rest of your life without so much as a single thought of you ever again?"

Rin was appalled by the question. How could he ask her such a thing! But he was right questioning her like that. Her eyes moved downcast. Sesshomaru never did ask her if, in the future, would she want to follow him again or stay in the village where she had lived the past few years. Would she truly be able to give up this peaceful life living here or leave it all behind and follow Sesshomaru throughout the lands without a permanent place to stay?

"I've never thought to ask him either if I had a choice." She whispered. There was going to be a day when he would come to her one last time. Maybe not even to ask that question. "I know Lord Sesshomaru can't have me follow him forever. That is true. But I don't regret making the choice of staying with him for as long as I have." She grinned. "He saved my life with his sword once. I was only eight years old. He never spoke to me, but I guess he didn't care whether I decided to follow him or not. Since I didn't have anybody else to count on, I took that once chance I had."

Inutaisho reached an arm around Rin, ruffling her hair a little. "You're a very sweet girl, Rin. A very special one, too."

She blushed once more at him saying that. "You've been calling me special all day, Lord Inutaisho."

"That's because it's true."

Rin exhaled a heavy breath she didn't remember breathing in. She had to figure out if the small kiss he gave her earlier really meant something or not. Even if he only did it as a friendly gesture or some kind of comfort for himself, she would welcome it. Just to get everything passed it so they could go back to being normal friends again.

"Lord Inutaisho, why did you really kiss me earlier today in the forest?" Rin looked up at him.

His hand removed itself from on top of her head, retreating back to his side. He hoped she would not bring up that topic. Figured it was something of the past that wouldn't happen again between them. But who said it wouldn't in the future either?

"Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to that, Rin. True I felt something when I was with you. My heart was racing and I ached to hold you. And being so close to you, being so innocent and pure, I couldn't help but want to kiss you." He sighed. "But I guess it was just being in the moment. That's all."

Her heart sank. So, it truly was a moment that happened between them and nothing more. Her small hands fisted at her sides. Sure she said it would be all right to say it was all friendly or comfort, but why did she get upset now? As of this moment, she remembered the feel of his lips displayed on hers earlier. Even though it was just a second, Rin did know.

"I see." The words escaped from her mouth as a whisper. "It didn't mean anything."

Inutaisho's demon ears heard her faint words clearly. Is that disappointment? Did she truly wish it meant something? His amber eyes closed. "I'm sorry, Rin, if you were hoping it was something more.' A clawed hand rubbed his forehead. "Honestly, if you were a little older, I would definitely make sure it meant something. But you are so young. I don't want to take advantage of you like that." She's just too pure. Rin small tongue licked her lips and Inutaisho saw this. Rin, please don't do that. It will make me want to kiss you. "Do that again and we might have another 'moment'." He chuckled a little, but stopped immediately when he saw her looking up at him with those childish eyes of hers.

"Lord Inutaisho…" She whispered. The nearness of this great taiyoukai before her made those butterflies dance in her stomach again. It happened just by his unruly gaze. Many emotions could be seen at once, just by his eyes alone. Two days. Only two days they have known each other. Perhaps I am just a child whose feelings will never be returned by the other.

Idiot! Stop looking at her! She's only 13-years-old! Not to mention your son Sesshomaru's charge. If anything ever happened between her and I… who knows what could happen in the future. He couldn't allow it anymore. No matter how much she would look at him or plead with her eyes. Taking advantage of her wanting to give herself to him was wrong and against his nature. He may have had his share of embracing several young girls, demons and humans alike, but Rin… she was so special to him right now. I just wish she was older, then I could accept her.

"Rin, I'm sorry for what I did earlier. Even if it was a 'moment' between us, it was wrong. We can't allow ourselves to fall. Do you understand?"

She smiled "Lord Inutaisho, I am young. I know that. And I guess I might not understand these feelings inside me right now. But I do like you. I really do." There. She said it. At least she could say something small like that to him. Later, Rin would sort everything out.

She liked him. She really said that she liked him. But did she mean it in that kind of way? Or was it a way that you would like a friend? Either way he was happy with the results of their struggling conversation. "I like you, too, Rin." He smiled as he left a small kiss on top of her head. Maybe he was wrong in his thinking about Rin. But everything was so jumbled right now. His thoughts, his actions, his feelings. He knew it was wrong to want her at this age, so he would not pursue her. Fortunately, in the future, everything would be sorted out.

Until that time came, perhaps having a 'moment' every now and then wouldn't hurt.

TBC…

A/n: Hmm… a little more between Inutaisho and Rin. I'm definitely intrigued to write the next chapter now! ;) Time for Sesshomaru to finally make his appearance once more. What could happen next? Oh, and, I was wondering if I'm confusing in this chapter or not… I don't know if it's just me XD

Zaru-san