Disclaimer - I do not own Inuyasha
Author's Note - A little cutesy oneshot to get me back on my writing feet. With the premier of the Inuyasha Kanketsuen, I'm even more inspired to write some little ficlets. I figured I would start with something easy and sweet. A little Kohaku and Rin story.
It was very common in my time traveling with Lord Sesshoumaru that he would leave Rin, Jaken, and myself alone together for a few days. At first, it was different to be traveling with him one day, and have him leaving the next. To be honest, I enjoyed the periods without him. Tension from the actions I did - and almost did - to Rin were still held high in a grudge. When the tension from his presence was gone, I always found it much more easier to practice.
It has become a usual routine for the four of us now. Lord Sesshoumaru announces in a few simple words that he will be leaving for a while. Jaken would always ask the so obvious question of where he was going, to Naraku, of course. Rin would stop whatever she would be doing that moment and tell her Lord good luck and to return to her as quickly as he could. I, on the other hand, stand where I am at and understand that I will unofficially be in charge of Rin until he returns.
Often I have wondered how she survived with it being just her and Jaken. He was the worst 'sitter' I had ever seen.
Moments after he leaves, we sometimes separate into our own individual areas. Jaken complains by Au-Un about how it is unfair for him to be left with two human brats, Rin runs off to catch us dinner for the night or gathers flowers, and I am commonly found in the nearest woods or open area practicing with my sickle. If Rin returns before I finish my training, she sits a safe distance away and says with much gust 'ooh, aah!' Other times, Rin insists that I play with her. Child games like hide and go seek or flower picking.
Today is nothing different from a usual routine. Jaken is the distance away, cursing us under his breath and Rin is in eyesight, picking wildflowers'. I am far away, practicing with my sickle. I advance everytime, or so Rin says. While I practice, I cut down branches, which we end up using for our firewood that night, and the tops of plants are dismembered from the body. If the leaf is big enough, we use them as plates for our food.
After I practice, I left my wooded area, the branches and leaves in my arms to prepare a fire for the nightfall that comes in two hours time. Rin is back from picking flowers, tying the long stems together to create wreaths for us. I keep my distance when I sit next to her, not getting to close to break my comfort zone or have Jaken glaring at me from across our resting site. Once I am comfortable, I lay down on the grassy plain and let out a long exhale from pushing myself during the practice.
The chain of my sickle clangs against my armor.
I held my sickle above my face and I stared back at my reflection. Over the period of time I have traveled with Lord Sesshoumaru, my skin has become darker from seeing sunlight more than usual. My freckles are still there, darker than the rest of my skin, and sweat drips from my forehead, showing how hard I have trained. Though I don't like myself, I think I look good for my age and imagine how I will appear in ten years...
"Kohaku, what are you doing?" Rin's voice breaks my train of thought. She was standing next to me, a flower wreath upon her raven hair and one for me in her tiny hands.
I placed my sickle on the opposite side to where she stood and sat up. "I was looking at my reflection." I stretched out my neck a bit, figuring that she would want to place the wreath on my head soon.
"Reflection?" She cocked her head to the right and blinked her brown eyes.
"Yes. It's like when you look in the river and you see your face. That is your reflection. The sickle makes it easier to see, though, because it's not running like the river." I saved myself being asked another question by explaining why the sickle made my reflection still and the rivers made her wavy.
Her eyes grew bigger at the knowledge of the new word. "May I see my reflection in your sickle just like you did?"
I didn't see the harm in it. "Sure," I picked up my sickle and positioned it to where she would be able to see herself, then I gave her a moment to drink in her appearance.
"Oh!" She exclaimed. Her eyes growing bigger than they already were and a large smile forming across her face as she was finally able to see herself in a sold and still form. She turned her head many different angles and adjusted her wreath as if she had never seen herself before. "Kohaku, how do I look?" Her attention was off of her reflection and now upon me.
My face grew hot and the sweat that was upon it now felt cold. I swallowed hard and replied in a low voice, "You look very pretty."
Rin squealed and ducked under my sickle to wrap her tiny arms around me. "Thank you, Kohaku! I think you're very pretty, too!"
I laughed nervously and patted her head. "Thank you, Rin," I said in my still low voice. It was a time like this when I enjoyed Lord Sesshoumaru's absense.
Author's Note - Dang, I still suck at ending my stories. I'll need to work on that...
Thank you for reading!