He had kept Rin company through the night as he observed her. She had fallen asleep at his request, allowing the demon lord time to truly understand what her life here may be like without his presence. He had been sitting outside the hut, having told Rin he would be leaving.
He had been watching the sky as he had thoughts unknown to anyone but himself running through his mind. Rin still did not want to be in the village, it had been obvious since he had brought her here. If he had to be honest with himself he would agree after Naraku's defeat he wanted to go back on his decision and bring her with him to the land he reigned.
He had hesitated with that decision though, seeing a chance for Rin to live among humans that could cause her to become accustomed to their lifestyle once again. It was something he had starved her of on their travels as he followed his warpath for Naraku with Jaken and A-Un there as his less intimidating henchmen. Rin had become a constant buzzing thought in the back of his mind.
This village held no trust with him, the only reason he did not stay here permanently for Rin's insured safety was his minimal confidence in his brother's abilities to defend it from any threat that could risk Rin's life. Was he weak for such thoughts? It was a question he had been asking himself for some time, it had become a more frequent question in the back of his mind as Rin grew older.
It was his own secret that Rin had become more to him than just a traveling companion. He couldn't determine if he saw her as a child anymore or as something even more precious to him. All he did understand about how he felt was he would give anything to keep her safe.
He sighed with a longing look to the moon glowing in his eyes. He had sabotaged himself with this girl, and he knew it. Her smile had caused something in his heart to ripple when she was a child, and every smile since then has stirred the same emotion through him.
Even now, as she grew to be more mature and beautiful, he could only deny that she had become more than just a human child to him. It did not worry him or cause him distress, he had accepted the possibility as anyone should when faced with this scenario. He glanced to Inuyasha and Kagome's house, somewhere off in the village, but he knew which one it was.
His half breed brother had found love in a human, even before Kagome. Maybe he would not fall far from his pedestal if he considered the same future for himself. Maybe he wouldn't, he was unsure.
He was a demon lord who despised humans, his old self would never fall into the irony of choosing a human to be with over a demon fit for his title. Rin was beyond his outlook on humans, his opinions couldn't reach her. She was untouchable by his disgust with the mortal race.
He rose as he heard Rin fall into slumber, her heart and breathing slowing to a steady rhythm. Sesshomaru lifted the door's flap out of the way as he walked inside, pausing in front of her.
"I will take you from this village, Rin. But, I cannot do that until I can understand what I want." He said in a hushed tone as he looked down at her. Her black hair was spread wildly around her pillow as she was lying on her back with her head tilted slightly to the left. He kneeled beside her, taking in her scent as he got closer.
Even her scent was a strange mixture. She was a mortal, but there was something in her scent he enjoyed smelling. He had no words to explain it to himself. With his golden eyes examining her face, he reached a hand out to her.
He softly cupped her cheek in his palm, daring to stroke her flesh with his thumb. The action seemed to calm her in her sleep, and he felt himself be soothed by it as well.