InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ 30 Shards of Jaken ❯ Acquiescence ( Chapter 19 )

The high noon sun broke through the crevices of the forest trees. The air sizzled with heat. Jaken was relieved to sit in the shade, what little of it he could find. He leaned back against an old tree with the Nintoujou stuck firmly in between his crossed arms and squinted at Kohaku, who sat across from him.

Rin was sitting in between them, playing with a stick in the dirt. Jaken paid no attention to her, keeping his eyes and ears trained on Kohaku. If this new boy made any sudden moves--turned out to be under Naraku's control--Jaken would be ready for him.

So determined was Jaken to protect Rin that it took him a full three seconds to realize she had started walking off through the woods.

"Hey!" he yelled. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Exploring. I think I hear a stream up ahead."

"Lord Sesshomaru told us to wait here."

"But I'm bored, Master Jaken. I just want to look around a bit."

Jaken sighed. He knew there was no sense in arguing. Rin had a way of getting what she wanted when Lord Sesshomaru wasn't around. "All right," Jaken said. "But don't go too far, and take Ah-Un with you!"

Kohaku kept his head down, staring in the dirt, while Rin mumbled goodbye and skipped away, leading the two-headed beast after her. The demon slayer boy was lost in his own morbid thoughts, as usual. He'd been with the group for a few days, and in that time he'd hardly spoken a word. Sesshomaru seemed to want him around (he hadn't chased the boy off yet,or simply abandoned him, much to Jaken's surprise), but Jaken didn't trust Kohaku--or his scary-looking kusarigama.

He'd said he'd been traveling for some time with Lady Kikyo, that creepy priestess woman, but how did they really know he wasn't part of one of Naraku's plans? The boy had tried to kill Rin once before, after all. Until he proved himself, Jaken wasn't about to accept him.

Jaken sighed again, taking the cap off his head and wiping it across his brow. The heat was sweltering, and all his worrying wasn't helping to cool him down. He wished some sort of breeze would come along and ease the heat for a few brief moments. No wonder Rin had wanted to find the stream. He was just glad Kohaku hadn't decided to go with her. There was no way Jaken was letting the boy out of his sight.

"Master Jaken."

Jaken jumped, so startled was he by the sound of Kohaku's voice. It was the first time the boy had ever spoken directly to him. He clutched the Nintoujou more firmly against his chest. "What is it?"

"I've been thinking..." Kohaku looked up. His face was flushed from the heat. It must have been even worse for him as a human and wearing all that armor. "I know it's silly, but I would feel better if we could keep an eye on Rin, even from a distance."

Jaken raised his brow. "What do you propose?"

"Well," Kohaku said, standing up. "This tree's nice and tall. If we can climb to the top of it, I'm sure we could spot her from there."

Jaken craned his neck up at the tree. The lowest branch was already many times his height. "There's no way I can climb that, you foolish--ulp!"

Before Jaken could finish, Kohaku had picked him up and placed him onto the first branch. Then Kohaku pulled himself up after him. "Come on," he said. "We can make it. Wait--it'd probably be easier for you if you left your staff behind."

Jaken narrowed his eyes. "I think I'll keep it."

"Suit yourself," Kohaku said, and he started making his way through the tree. Jaken tightened his grip on Nintoujou and followed clumsily after.

It was hard work for one as small as Jaken, who soon came to a branch that was out of reach. He leaned on his staff, trying to figure out what to do.

Kohaku looked down and saw the little youkai struggling and cursing under his breath. Kohaku held out his hand from above. "Here."

Jaken hesitated. "Why are you helping me? You could go on ahead."

There was a pause, and Kohaku's voice was soft. "I know how worried you are about Rin."

Suddenly Jaken's hold on Nintoujou slipped and he lost his footing on the branch. He started falling out of the tree when a hand grabbed out and pulled him up to safety.

"Be careful," Kohaku said. "I told you to leave that thing behind."

When Jaken finally steadied himself against the trunk with one hand, all he could do was sputter, "If I am worried at all about that girl, it is only because I know what Lord Sesshomaru would do to me if anything happened to her!"

Kohaku said nothing, and Jaken squinted against the sun. Was the heat driving him mad or was there really an ever-so-slight smirk plastered on this morbid kid's face? Jaken shrugged it off and the pair continued climbing up through the tree. But this time Jaken was less difficult when the boy offered his help.

"There," Kohaku said, raising Jaken onto the final branch, which was wide enough for them to sit down on. "We've got a good view up here. I can see the stream Rin was talking about. Oh, there she is!" He pointed, and in the distance Jaken saw Rin standing knee-deep in the water, laughing and splashing at Ah-Un.

Kohaku shielded his eyes as he watched Rin from the top of the tree and sighed. Jaken looked at him. It was even hotter up there with no shade to protect them from the sun's unrelenting face, but it didn't sound like a sigh of annoyance. More like a breath of relief.

"I'm glad she's safe," Kohaku said.

A few moments passed while the sincerity of his words sunk in. "Me, too," Jaken finally murmured. Even though the conditions were worse, he felt more comfortable with Rin safe in his sight. And he knew it wouldn't have been possible without Kohaku.

As the two of them sat there up in the tree above the shade, Jaken was struck by a new thought. Could it be that he and this human child had something in common?

Suddenly Jaken's grip on the Nintoujou relaxed.

All right, he decided. The boy could stay.