A/N- This was a story from my old account that I decided to transfer here. And since it's so old, the writing isn't my best. But I didn't want to change it so…

Disclaimer- Don't own.

Fireflies

BY

NOASHADO

The night was quiet and peaceful in the western territory. Nothing stirred as demons lay out of sight and humans slept in their homes. Within the forest, the demon lord walked through the trees. As always, his human and two youkai cohorts trailed behind him, the child asleep on the dragon's back.

Sesshomaru looked blankly ahead of him as he continued walking, keeping his senses alert for any demons that would be stupid enough to challenge him. Every now and then he would look back to make sure Rin was still sleeping. He learned from his past mistakes not to trust Jaken with Rin's safety. But this time, when he turned to the dragon behind him, he found that the child was no longer there.

He stopped abruptly. Jaken ran into his legs when he failed to pull his gaze away from the large moon in the night sky.

"Why did you stop, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken questioned. He rubbed his cheek absently as he stared at the demon.

But Sesshomaru did not answer. He stood stoic, golden eyes trained on the trees, silver hair swaying in the gentle breeze. His trained senses listened for Rin's voice or her playful laughter, but came up with nothing. Nothing except for the faint sent of lavender.

"Rin." He mumbled in annoyance.

Jaken's yellow eyes widened. He turned around to see an empty saddle on Ah-Un's back. 'Not good' He swallowed hard, feeling like utter dirt. The girl was sleeping for Kami's sake! How could he have lost her so easily!?

"My lord, I-"

"Stay."

With that said, Sesshomaru turned away from the toad, beginning his way to where he had picked up the child's scent.

Sesshomaru walked down the trail they had just walked from, trying his best to keep his anger under control. Retracing his steps would put him back on time. He didn't like holding up his plans. Especially since Naraku was so close. Only a day's walk ahead. But that made him walk faster down the trail. Rin was only a weak child after all.

The demon then heard childish giggling from just ahead and he sped up, breathing a sigh of relief as he recognized that to be his human child.

He broke off the trail and a little ways through the trees until he stepped out of their cover into a small, grassy clearing. In the middle of it all, surrounded by floating, blinking lights was little Rin.

Her small arms were stretched out as if she were trying to catch the tiny bugs, her kimono billowing as she spun in circles, smiling and laughing. Her innocent, brown eyes glowed with the light from the fireflies and, though he'd never admit it, Sesshomaru caught his gaze softening into a tender stare.

Rin gasped as she saw the silent demon and she immediately ran up to him.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Look what I found! Little stars!" the girl said excitedly, pointing at the fireflies.

Sesshomaru lifted a brow, looking at what she proudly called 'stars'. But then he turned back to her, fully prepared to set her straight.

"Those aren't stars." he told her, his voice gentle and disinterested at the same time.

Rin pouted. "They aren't?" she asked. The demon had to force himself not to scoff at how adorable she looked, telling himself that doing such things would offend her and he'd never allow such a thing to happen in his presence.

"No." He answered her.

The raven haired child looked at the bugs for a moment, trying to understand what he was saying. "Then what are they, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Fireflies."

"Fireflies? What are those?" The child said looking up at the demon with her big, childlike eyes.

He answered her in the most sufficient way he could. His clawed hand reached out, effortlessly caging a small bug, and kneeled down to the child's level.

He opened his hand in front of Rin, revealing the tiny firefly in his palm.

Rin's eyes widened as she looked at the tiny thing. "It's so pretty!" she shouted with excitement, causing the bug to startle and fly away, joining the others that were flying around them.

"I like fireflies, Sesshomaru-sama." The little girl said as she watched the fireflies fly around.

Sesshomaru stared at them, unable to find anything special about them, and so gave her a response that wouldn't cause the child to become upset. "Hm."

The girl giggled at her lord's response and began to run around the field with her arms wide open. "Fireflies are beautiful, my lord!" She shouted. Then she stopped her running to smile at him in her overly cheery way, "But I'll always love you more."

Rin's smile grew wider as she ran up to her demon and gently wrapped her small arms around his neck, him still in the kneeling position he was in before.

This surprised the demon greatly, so he remained there, unmoving. He felt the child's hands grasp him tighter as she whispered something almost unintelligible, but with his demon senses, he heard it clearly.

"I love you, Otou-san."

This time, he let his lips turn up freely into something that imitated a smile, not fully able to do it completely. But it was special, something only Rin would ever see.

Sesshomaru slowly encircled his arm around the child's small form. He pulled her gently into his arms and held her delicately against his armor, making sure he did not harm her or cause her any discomfort. Deciding she's had enough fun for the night, he scooped her and stood, cradling her.

The small girl yawned as she nestled further into his warm chest. "Goodnight, Sesshomaru-sama." She whispered. Her small hands clutched onto his yukata and she buried her face into his warmth, quickly falling asleep.

Sesshomaru looked down at the child that he held, his stony heartwarming at the sight.

He allowed himself to lean forward and place a gentle kiss against her forehead. "Goodnight, my Rin."

With that, he turned and began his way back to the toad demon, holding her close and safe the whole time.

Maybe fireflies weren't as useless as he thought.

AN: There you guys go. I know it's an overused plot, but you have to admit it's rather cute.