Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
"Master Sesshomaru?" Rin asked looking at her master with a bright and loving smile. He did not move his head or change his stride, he showed no signs that he'd heard her. "Why do you never smile?"
"I have no reason to." Sesshomaru replied looking down at her as she walked next to him.
"Leave our master alone to his thoughts Rin." Jaken snapped.
"Leave her be Jaken." Sesshomaru said sharply causing Jaken to gape at them as they continued walking on without him.
"But you have me and master Jaken." She said taking Sesshomaru's hand. He looked down at her small hand completely engulfed by his.
"Yes, but Jaken and I are demons and will be without you one day." Sesshomaru said picking her up and putting her on his shoulder so she could burry herself in his "fluff" as she called it.
"Will you miss me when I die Master Sesshomaru?" She giggled and kissed his forehead. He said nothing and they continued in silence until nightfall.
"Are you tired?" Sesshomaru asked when he heard a wide yawn from the small girl on his shoulder. She had her head cradled in her arms atop his head.
"Yes Master, we've walked so far!" Jaken said eager for a rest.
"I meant Rin." Sesshomaru said shooting Jaken a look that stilled his tongue and chilled his bones.
"No Master, I'm fine." She said with another huge yawn.
"Jaken find a suitable place for us to rest for the night." Sesshomaru said taking her off his shoulder and cradling her in his arm.
"Yes Master!" Jaken said before scuttling off on his own.
"Would you like to rest on Ah-Un?" Sesshomaru asked looking down at the girl only to find she'd already fallen asleep in his arm. He looked at her sleeping face for a long while, wondering what to do with her.
Just as he resumed walking Jaken reappeared. "Master, I have found a nice place to rest." He said leading the others over to a small glade. At the center was a large willow tree, its branches sagging low and with a trunk so wide it may have been around when Sesshomaru's father walked the earth. Jaken took off Ah-Un's harness and allowed it to graze in the glade before coming to rest against the tree. Sesshomaru lay down under the branches; they hung low and shut off the rest of the glade and the forest beyond it from their restful slumber. Rin was on his chest, her sleep undisturbed by the change in scenery. He moved to his side so she could rest atop his "fluff," but she pressed against his chest, her hands resting almost reverently on his chest. He pressed his lips to her head, his nose inhaling her scent before he kissed her and moved away once more. "Rin, what will I do when you have left me?" He asked softly.
"Master?" Her eyes fluttered open and a sleepy yawn fell from her lips. "I won't leave you." She said sleepily. He said nothing, simply watched her fall asleep once more. Only when he was sure she was asleep did he feel tears fill his eyes. They burned and he blinked trying to disperse them. How had he allowed himself to grow so attached to this young human? His ward was just that, human, mortal, weak, and yet here he was weeping over her impending loss like he too was human. This weakness he felt burned him to the core and he felt anger. Anger not at Rin, but at himself for loving Rin so much. He shook his head and brushed his tears away onto his sleeve.