A/N: So I've always been a sucker for Rin and Archer fics, and I figured it was about time I contributed. AU
The corridor was dark and empty, and Rin's feet echoed eerily in the silence. "Father?" Her hand slid along the wall, guiding her in the darkness. Her feet hit something, and she stopped, groping on the floor blindly. As her hand fumbled on the stone floor, it brushed something-something wet and cold. Rin gasped and yanked her hand back. "Just water. It's just water" Rin whispered. Raising her hand to the slit like windows near the ceiling, she let a beam of light illuminate her hand. Blood coated her palm, dripping down her wrist onto her pristine nightgown. The hallway was suddenly filled with light, and Rin could see the face of the body in front of her. She screamed, her father's face staring emptily at her.
Rin sat up in her bed, sweat trickling down her face. Shakily, she slid her feet to the ground, her breath pounding in her lungs. It had been five months since her father had disappeared, and she was plagued with nightmares every night of finding his dead body.
The house seemed quiet and empty as Rin padded to the kitchen in her slippers. For years it had been just her and her father, and without him, it seemed like a ghost house. Sunlight streamed through the windows in the hallway, and Rin dimly registered that something wasn't right. She glanced at a clock, and gasped. "I'm so late!" She thought, dashing back to her bedroom to through on her school uniform and leave.
In the end, she hadn't made it to school in time. Rin's stomach growled as she trudged home. "Tohsaka-senpai! See you tomorrow!" Rin turned her head to see Matou Sakura, a pretty purple haired girl, waving goodbye to her. She smiled lightly, lifting her hand in goodbye. She turned her eyes towards the city before her. She wouldn't go straight home tonight. It was about time she figured out things for herself. It would be dark soon, she remarked. She couldn't spend another night with grisly images of her father in her head.
Clutching a baggy hoodie around her, Rin stepped into the alley. Night had fallen, and the passageway was dark except for a flickering street light at the entrance. An old lady had pointed her here, claiming in a croaking voice that it was the best place for finding out information. Rin felt uncomfortable and closed in, and a panic was rising in the pit of her stomach. A footstep sounded on the stones behind her. She spun on her heels, hand probing in her pocket for the small knife. "You shouldn't be here, little boy." The voice was smooth and deep. Rin squinted at the speaker. Pale silvery hair glinted in the faint light, and his face was hidden by shadows. The man was huge, dwarfing her slight figure.
"I hear I can get information here." She said, struggling to keep her voice low. If the man thought she was a boy, it could help her. He moved into the light a bit, revealing a frowning face.
"I don't have any drugs, kid. I won't buy you any alcohol either." He moved away, stepping towards the entry of the alley.
"That's not it!" Rin snapped. "I need to know any information about Tohsaka Tokiomi. He's my- a friend's father."
"The cop? I don't know anything about him. Tell your friend to give up. Once anyone's lost in this city, they're gone for good. He's probably dead." Rin strode forwards, grabbing the man's sweatshirt.
"He's not dead." She hissed, eyes spitting fire. Her hood slid back and she cursed under her breath, scrambling for the treacherous fabric. "Crap."
"Ah. Not much of a boy, are you, little girl?" Rin sighed, crossing her arms.
"I'm Tohsaka Rin. I need to find my father." Her response was short, and the man cocked an eyebrow.
"Can't help you, girl. Go home to your fancy house." He turned out of the alley, and Rin watched him go, sighing in frustration. As his back turned the corner, she stepped out into the street, and started the long walk home.
Rin collapsed on her couch, rubbing her aching feet. Her shoes were drenched in dirty water and mud, and her stockings were splattered with the same. The trip hadn't even been rewarding, she mused as she turned on hot water for her shower. Scrubbing her hair, she thought about the man she talked to. She could try again. Go to the slums and wait in an alley until someone talked to her. She wouldn't let her father down. Whatever it took, she would find him.
The next day, Rin went to the alley again. She felt out of place in her school uniform, but she wanted to get out before it got dark. Perching on a rusted trash can, she waited for someone -anyone- to come. But as the sun sank in the sky, the street and alley remained deserted. Sighing in frustration, Rin stood, the evening sun casting long shadows.
Someone's hand closed around her bicep- a rough, large hand. Rin started in shock, trying to yank her arm away. Another hand came towards her mouth and she bit down, using her captor's momentary pain to her advantage and tearing away. Spinning around, she saw a slim, muscled man in in a black mask nursing his hand, his uncovered mouth in a grimace. She threw a punch towards his face, foot rising to kick him in the shin. He caught her wrist and she kicked him, causing him to double over in agony and let out a pained yell. Rin kicked him in the face for extra measure, and ran out of the alley, feet skidding against the pavement as she turned the corner- and hit a wall.
Stumbling back, Rin pressed her hand to her smarting nose and looked up. It wasn't a wall she had crashed into. It was a man, with silver hair and gray eyes. The man from last night, Rin thought as he looked down at her. "Why are you back here, little girl? Go home." Rin scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest.
"I plan on doing so, so if you'd let me-" She was cut off by an angry shout from behind her. Turning her head, she saw her attacker hobbling towards her, blood streaming from his nose. "Oh, crap. Get out of the way!" Rin dashed past the man, and he caught her wrist, hauling her back.
"What's happening, Lance?" He said to the other man. Rin glared at him, struggling to remove her arm from his viselike grip. The other man scoffed.
"That girl hurt me. I need to teach her a lesson. Get out of the way, Archer." The man- Archer- turned to Rin.
"Get out of here, Rin. And this time stay out." He released her, and Rin stepped back. With a last glance, she turned around, and ran through the darkening streets. Archer. What a weird name. It was only until she was home, sipping a cup of bitter tea that she realized he had called her by her first name.