Author: tkplover
Title: The Hunt
Rated: T
Universe: Alternate
Summary: Read to find out. :p
A/N: Written for Little White Doves prompt - No More Lonely Nights
This piece has been dedicated to icegirljenni for being such a faithful reviewer. Thank you for all your support icegirljenni! I hope you like it.
"My lord, is everything alright?"
Sesshomaru snapped out of his thoughts and stared at the frightened look on his retainer's face reflected in the mirror. A look that bordered on comical thanks to the outfit the kappa was wearing.
"You've been staring into the mirror for a few minutes now and your eyes..." Jaken said, visibly swallowing, his eyes the size of saucers.
Sesshomaru faced the mirror only to see his eyes flashing red, fangs elongated and his demonic aura swirling furiously around his frame. The weight of the case had taken its toll on him and it was becoming more and more difficult to hide his otherwise unflappable features.
His career had prepared him to fight for possession of his family's most prized heirloom. His father's sword: The Tetsusaiga. After presenting his facts, he was certain the judge would favor him, but when he hadn't and instead passed his ruling in favor of the half-sibling, Sesshomaru had been shocked, speechless and burning with rage.
"Is it because of the case?" Jaken inquired.
Sesshomaru forced his thoughts back to the kappa. "We've only just discussed what we've learned so far. There's nothing more." Distracted, Sesshomaru was able to rein in his angered aura. "Why are you here?"
Jaken bowed his head slightly. "Rin has requested your company downstairs, my lord."
"Indeed," Sesshomaru replied noncommittally; trying to gather his wandering thoughts from what the judge had decided, to what Rin may have in store for them tonight. Ever since Rin entered his life, he had become used to her audience. The girl blindly believed in him and cheered him on as he won case after case, never truly knowing how corrupt the clients were who he defended. He never needed it, but she stroked his ego. 'Hero worship' is what he believed it to be, but he left good enough alone.
He never imagined the first case he'd ever lost would be so close to home. How could he admit his failure to Rin if she inquired about the ruling?
Mentally shaking his head, he thought that to be ridiculous. He shouldn't have to care about what a nine year old thought? A nine year old orphan, who cared for him in a grimy alleyway on the streets of Tokyo, when a few thugs hired by his client's opposition had brutally attacked him, leaving him severely injured and bloodied on the cold damp ground. A nine year old orphan, who always cheered him on and wished him luck on all of his cases. A nine year old, who brought life and sunshine into his otherwise solitary abode.
The rest of what Jaken said only served as distant chattering until a pleasant sound grabbed his attention.
"Sesshomaru-sama! You're home!" Rin enthused with a toothy smile and a set of ridiculously large for head, fake bunny ears resting atop her head.
"Good evening, Rin. How was your day?"
The distraction worked, not for him, but for Rin, who went on to explain her consistent trouble with long division and the highlight her day was dressing up Jaken in a custom bunny outfit for the Easter Egg hunt.
"You don't have to be afraid of him, Sesshomaru-sama. Master Jaken isn't a real bunny. Real bunnies are smaller and really, really soft."
Sesshomaru, who often smiled at Rin's silly jokes, remained quiet and although he stared at her, he stared right through her.
Again, his mind wandered; considered, pondered for reasons why his father had made the decision to leave his most only prized possession in the care of an illegitimate child. A half-brother who never knew his father's love of swords or how accomplished of a swordsman their sire had been. How could he possibly know the true worth of their sire's fang?
Would he consider it a worthless piece of metal and pawn it for money? Sesshomaru wondered, thinking back to the courtroom and the worn out pair of jeans and sneakers the half-blood had worn. Sesshomaru snorted. Had he received the sword, he would have cherished the honoured heirloom and given it the proper respect it deserved as custom dictated.
He had been so distracted, he didn't notice that Rin had climbed onto him and perched herself on one of his thighs. It was only when she placed her soft hands on Sesshomaru's cheeks and stroked the demon markings there with her thumb that he focused his gaze into her large, dark brown almost black eyes.
"Sesshomaru-sama, you're not here. You keep going far, far away." Rin searched his eyes and her brows scrunched in deep concern. "Where is it that you go?"
How had the girl read him so easily? He must be losing his touch.
Alerted, Sesshomaru shut his eyes and wrapped his large hand around her soft one covering his cheek.
"Rin," he replied, swallowing thickly, not having the courage to tell her that he had lost the case, "I have a lot on my mind right now."
A warm kissed was placed on his forehead. Secretly, he took it as a sign that she had forgiven him for his utter lack in accomplishing what he thought had been his ultimate goal.
A strange sensation of something being slipped onto his head had him opening his eyes. It was a pair of bunny ears similar to the ones atop Rin's head.
"Let's look for the chocolate eggs, then!" the child exclaimed with another smile. "You'll forget about all of that other stuff after we find them. I promise!"
Sesshomaru exchanged a quick glance with Jaken. The kappa nodded mildly and quietly left the room.
Wrapping his large hand in her small one, Sesshomaru allowed Rin to drag her out of his solace. Could it be that perhaps he had been pursuing the wrong goals all along? He wasn't sure of that just yet but he knew for the moment, he was going to have a rather eventful evening searching for chocolate eggs.