I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.
Oneshot, please read and review.
Mrs. Higurashi was home alone. Her father-in-law was in the hospital, just a minor complication from a routine procedure. These things happened when people got old but he'd be home in a couple of days. Her son was at a friend's house.
Her daughter was gone. She'd gone down the well to be with the man she loved 2 years ago and the well had not reopened since. She hoped Kagome was happy in the warring states era. She was with Inuyasha and her friends, so Mrs. Higurashi was sure she was. But she missed her little girl.
She was puttering absent mindedly around the house when she heard a knock on the door. She opened the door and her eyes went wide as a delighted smile blossomed across her face
"Inuyasha!" She threw her arms around the young man and then looked around for her daughter. "When did it open, where is Kagome? How have you been?"
She didn't see her daughter. She looked back at the hanyou, he wasn't smiling anymore. She stopped and looked more closely at him. He looked more mature than she remembered, older.
His clothing was different too, his kimono had been replaced with jeans and a red t-shirt. He was wearing running shoes rather than barefooted and had a hat similar to the one Kagome had given him years ago. He was still wearing the beads of subjugation, he could take them off if he wanted to, but he didn't.
Her smile fell, "Oh. I see. Was she happy?"
"Yes. We were very happy. She wanted you to have this." He held out a wooden box with a paper seal on it. He now smiled sadly.
"It's sealed with magic so everything inside will be just like new. You don't have to worry about the paper being fragile."
"Can I open it now?" She asked hesitantly. He nodded and she gently pulled off the seal and lifted the lid. Inuyasha closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, the last trace of Kagome's scent had been sealed inside the box for hundreds of years. This would be the very last time he smelled her. It was a bittersweet moment.
The box contained many little mementos. What drew her eyes though were the folded pieces of paper. Many were made out to her, but some were for Souta and Grandpa. Most were addressed in her daughter's hand writing, but some were different, childish handwriting. She lifted a couple and looked at them.
"Letters, from Kagome and the kids. She wanted you to know she was happy. She showed me some, but not all. Here." She looked up and he was holding out a piece of notebook paper. "My contact information, incase you had questions. Or just wanted to talk. Tell Souta and Grandpa I said hi."
He turned to leave "Wait Inuyasha. Would you like to come in?"
"I kind of thought you'd want to be alone to read those. I was actually on an outing with my pack.. err, family and decided to drop this off on the way."
"Your pack, Inuyasha? This Sesshomaru was under the impression I was the alpha." A cool voice called from near the gate.
Mrs, Higurashi looked past Inuyasha to three youkai standing near the gate waiting for him. One was a young man with red hair and bright green eyes wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans. In his arms he held a small tan youkai kitten with black markings and red eyes. Near him was a slightly older man with long silver hair in an exquisite white suit with a bright red tie and ruby cuff links tapping away on a cell phone looking rather bored.
"Speaking of which you should meet Shippo. Hey, squirt, get over here. Sesshomaru, you might as well come say hi, pretend to be polite." Sesshomaru shot his brother a glare, then scowled down at his phone. Inuyasha would pay for distracting him later he decided as he slid his phone in his pocket.
"You'll have to excuse my brother, he's addicted to Angry Birds."
"This Sesshomaru is not addicted, Inuyasha, the game is simply more interesting than anything you may have to say." Sesshomaru retorted as he and the kitsune approached.
"Well, I promised Kagome I'd try to be nice, but if you'd rather not be here now you have time for that conversation your mom has been wanting to have." Inuyasha shot back.
Sesshomaru's scowl deepened. It was easy to know which one was less annoying. Or at least which one would not interrogate him about his personal life for hours on end. Sesshomaru's mother had been dropping hints that he should be settling down, meaning she wanted grandchildren. It was not a conversation he was keen on having. Besides, he had made a promise to Rin before she died that he would try to build a relationship with his little brother.
"This is Shippo." Inuyasha told Mrs. Higurashi, shoving the kit toward her. Mrs. Higurashi stared at the young man for a moment then grabbed him in a tight hug. Kilala jumped from Shippo's arms to Inuyasha's shoulder just in time to avoid being crushed between them.
"Oh Shippo! She told me so much about you! Your were like a son to her!" She cried, tearing up.
"She was like a mom to me, uh, Mrs. Higurashi." The young kit replied, turning bright red.
"You're my daughter's son, you can call me grandma if you like."
"I've never had a grandma before." Shippo replied, smiling shyly.
"And this is my half brother, Sesshomaru. And Shippo's cat, Kilala."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Sesshomaru."
He nodded then looked at his rolex, "Inuyasha we are going to be late."
Inuyasha scowled at his brother's rudeness. "Sorry about him, we had different mothers. But I guess he's right we need to get going. I hope you'll call."
"Of course. If you're all free maybe you'd like to come by for dinner. Grandpa's in the hospital, nothing serious, but Souta will love to see you again."
"Me and Shippo will be there." He promised happily. "Sesshomaru?"
"I am afraid I am not available tonight."
"Another date with your groomer? The pretty one we saw you with coming out of the bar with?" Inuyasha taunted.
"I have an appointment with my stylist." He corrected.
"Well, Shippo and I will see you later. Is dinner at 6?"
She confirmed that it was and then hugged him again and said good bye. She carried her box in the house and sat with it in her lap crying for happiness and loss. Then she mopped up her tears and began to go through the contents of the box. She noticed the notes were numbered. She found number 1 and unfolded it with shaking hands.