Nezumi's Grand Return is not supposed to include a shitty innkeeper. Yet here Inukashi is- one of Karan's fucking delicious cinnamon rolls halfway to his mouth- staring at the vagabond currently frozen in the middle of the stairs probably having climbed through Shion's window like a goddamned burglar.
Shion drops the cake pan he was cleaning sending soap and water sloshing across the floor in a mini-waterfall. It's probably gonna fuck up the tile- not that Inukashi's particularly familiar with the treatment of fancy tile. Or fancy soaps. Or much of anything fancy besides possibly dining, courtesy of Shion needing to drag someone else uncomfortable with him to his swanky-ass dinner parties.
Shion, who is currently running and throwing himself headlong into the demon's arms.
Inukashi almost cringes, feeling like he should've done something to prevent that, probably should've tackled Nezumi for leaving, pushed him around a bit for breaking and entering. But he can't do that now, because Shion's crying and Nezumi's cupping his cheeks and—
And Inukashi knows when to get the fuck out of a situation where his presence is no longer required.
He stupidly grabs another cinnamon roll and shows himself to the door.
Nezumi follows Shion around like a fucking puppy that just learned how to open its eyes. It's pathetic, the way his every touch seems to carry a question. It's a role reversal in the worst possible way- Inukashi thought they were past this.
He recently made the horrible mistake of visiting Karan on a day they were both present- He couldn't even enjoy the soup she prepared without catching the way Nezumi's eyes kept flicking to Shion's face when he thought he wasn't looking. The way his hand would occasionally twitch when Shion brushed his own bangs out of his face.
Inukashi tried to kick him under the table but instead of watching Nezumi cry out in sheer agony, he kicked the center brace and accidentally caused one of Karan's precious mugs to tumble onto the floor. After that Inukashi opted to ditch his spoon and just gulp the rest of the soup down.
At least cleaning up got them to stop staring at each other.
Unfortunately for Inukashi the image of Nezumi ogling at Shion was permanently burned into his eyes. The mere idea of Nezumi longing for contact is enough to give him nightmares for a week. It's just fucked up.
Both of them have these red marks on their necks and shoulders. Inukashi suspects bedbugs because the alternative is too horrible to consider and his mind forcibly blocks it out. Karan only laughs when he tells her to have their beds examined.
He's honestly just concerned for their health but when Karan states in her typical sparkling way, "I don't think they have two beds Inukashi" he dies a little inside.
More often than not Inukashi catches them holding hands under Karan's new table, (Inukashi's kick having rendered the center beam too unstable) fingers tangled disgustingly.
Inukashi honestly tries to be happy for Shion, even if he's no longer invited to his dinner parties and Nezumi looks stupid in black-tie.
He's fine with Shion being happy. In fact, a happy Shion is a good thing. The poor sap deserves a little happiness.
The problem is that Nezumi doesn't.
Nezumi's face is now capable of twisting in a way that maybe, might possibly, be a smile. It fits beautifully on his face, but Inukashi still finds it kind of nasty. A pretty outside doesn't fix the venom within, or forgive him for being gone all these years.
Shion once collapsed out of exhaustion, having spent too many nights trying to work out the cities plans. Inukashi was eating dinner with Karan and little Shion when she got the phone call. He remembers vividly seeing the blood drain out of Karan's face, the panic in her eyes. They went to the hospital and there was Shion shaking like a leaf, telling them not to worry, that he just had to get some more work done before he rested. Karan asked Inukashi to take little Shion so she could have a talk with her son.
That's the only time Inukashi has ever heard Karan raise her voice.
Shion's visits become practically nonexistent- between work and Nezumi his hands are far too full to visit the inn he spent so much time and effort renovating. When he does check up on Inukashi he's always alone, and looking out the window lips turned downward in a pathetic little sulk. Inukashi half expects to see a single tear roll town his cheek. He sends him home and tells him to go to bed because he's a fucking mess.
The dogs are irritated not to have their normal washer. Inukashi tells them to get over themselves.
He whines about Shion's distance to Karan between bites of cream-cheese muffin and she explains the phenomenon after pointing out several loose crumbs on his cheek, which he hurriedly wipes off with a sleeve. She cringes and Inukashi tries not to get flustered by his lack of "propriety".
She calls Shion's problem the 'honeymoon phase' and smiles wistfully, saying she remembers well what it was like. Inukashi just calls it fucking dumb, apologizes for his language, thanks her for the muffin, and gets the hell out of there.
Inukashi caught them kissing once.
It was the single most traumatizing event he's ever borne witness to, and Inukashi grew up in West Block.
Fucking tender, it was.
Fucking disturbing.
Inukashi almost ran into a tree on the way home.
It's not as though he disapproves, Shion's happy now, and that's what matters. Or that he doesn't have a family anymore, since he's still got Karan, the kid, and the dogs. Or that he wishes they could go back to the way things were because everyone was kind of miserable then.
No, Inukashi doesn't disapprove- nothing like that. Inukashi just feels the boys growing up and there's something a little lonely about that.
Nezumi sings for free now.
His voice is still damn beautiful.
Inukashi holds what remains of his family tighter.
The dogs are aging too fast.
Inukashi teaches little Shion how to catch bugs. It's a useless skill, but it was something to do to fend off hunger back when the hotel wasn't fucking immaculate like it is now. He hopes that little Shion will take to it as he did.
When the kid proudly brings him a rather large grasshopper Inukashi's pleased to find him a complete natural at it. He ruffles the kid's hair and listens to his enthusiastic giggle as he proceeds to pass on the hair ruffle to the bulldog next to him.
He's getting bigger and healthier every day.
It's nice.
Inukashi wonders if he'll fall in love someday too.
Nezumi corners him one day when he's trying to wash the dogs. Asks him why he hasn't said hello yet.
Inukashi's pretty sure he knows the answer, so he doesn't give him the satisfaction.
"Did you see everything you wanted to see out there?"Inukashi asks, eager to throw Nezumi into any conversation that is promised to make him uncomfortable.
Nezumi pauses, seeming to think for a long moment before slowly shaking his head.
"Not everything," he says. "But enough."
He smiles (creepily) and looks toward the window, a familiar look in his eye.
Inukashi threatens to puke on him. At least the feeling is mutual.
…It's a little funny. It feels nice, laughing.
Nezumi's still miles away from being good enough for Shion, but he is trying. Inukashi wonders if he's capable of giving the fool some points for effort.
Nezumi looks younger, is the strange thing. Not physically, as his shoulders have definitely broadened out and he's lost the dumbass ponytail somewhere back in the crevasses of time where it belongs- but mentally? Spiritually? Something like that.
He wears the peaceful times well, unexpectedly.
Not going hungry suits them both, it seems.
Inukashi tentatively allows Nezumi to show little Shion how to make grass whistles. He circles them a few times before big Shion tugs him away, saying that there are too many dogs for him to wash alone.
Inukashi starts to say it's the same amount of dogs as it always has been, but Shion puts finger to his lips and Inukashi hears a soft whistle and two sets of laughter. He recognizes one set immediately-the shrieking giggle Inukashi secretly hopes little Shion will never grow out of, but the second laugh is new, a sweet breezy sound that belongs to Nezumi.
The nice laugh really doesn't suit him at all, but Shion's smiling, eyes crinkling like a portrait of stupid, perfect satisfaction. Inukashi splashes him with the water, earning him a pissy shriek. Inukashi tries to play it off, warning Shion to stop looking in his kid's direction while grinning like that- only to receive a face full of water in return.
The grass whistles were a mistake, Inukashi realizes later that night as he climbs into his still-too-comfy bed to sleep and hears the silent scream of the goddamn blade of grass.
It could be worse.
He'll just have to get back at them for it later.