Amber eyes blinked open slowly, staring up into the canopy of trees overhead.
Sunlight filtered through branches and leaves, wind dancing softly within the greenery.
It was peaceful, lulling him into a comfort he hadn't felt in some time.
"Sesshomaru-sama!"
Glancing to his right brought him an amusing sight.
"Sesshomaru-sama! I implore you! Help this lowly Jaken, your faithful servant!"
Covered in an elaborate floral headdress, the kappa struggled as a bigger Rin forced his cooperation.
In truth, Jaken was much stronger than her. It was a testament to his loyalty – and likely his own affection for the girl – that he continued to be used in such a way.
Jaken clearly allowed it.
Rin giggled, scolding Jaken for his thrashing, and Sesshomaru marveled at the girls talent. Though still young, she was quite distinguished with her creations.
His beast offered a silent rumble of contentment that was largely ignored.
"Rin, what have you created?" Sesshomaru questioned, eyes trailing to the girl who grinned at him.
A memory flashed through him of another human grinning at him. Blue eyes looking at him fondly.
He blinked it away, shoving it to the back of his mind where it'd crawled up from.
He hadn't thought of her in so long…why now?
Better inquiry: why do you attempt to deny it happened?
"I made a beautiful crown, Sesshomaru-sama! Do you like it?"
"Hn." He tipped his head, putting thought of blue eyes out of his mind. "Perhaps you require a more striking subject upon which to display your work."
She gasped, glancing at Jaken, who tried to appear pitiful, though if you looked closely enough it was obvious he was content in his current role.
"Sesshomaru-sama," she whispered pointlessly behind her hand. "Are you saying that Master Jaken is not striking? Do you not think he is a lovely shade of green?" She nodded firmly. "I do."
"Very well," he said with a dismissive wave, lips twitching. "As you were."
"But, my lord!" Jaken complained half-heartedly, settling into place as Rin continued her work.
"Now sit still, Master Jaken. We are almost finished."
Relaxing against the tree, Sesshomaru closed his eyes again, forcefully repressing blue eyes and affectionate smiles.
The correlation between his memories from long ago, and his half-brothers priestess hovered along the border of his thoughts, a vague outline, not quite formed.