"Why can't we go through the well, Inuyasha?"
It was only a matter of time, Inuyasha thought. Shippou had been quiet for a while. Sighing, he turned to face the fox kit. "How the hell should I know? Have you even tried?"
Shippou opened his mouth to respond, but instead of speaking, turned and scurried quickly in the direction of the well. It wasn't so far that Inuyasha couldn't follow him with his eyes, so he just stayed put in his spot against a tree. He had promised to watch the kit while the others were out on a minor demon hunt. He had, of course, made a fuss, protesting the injustice of having to kit-sit. He had hollered about how his vast skills were wasted on such a mediocre task- all the while intending to do it anyway. He would never admit it but the little kit meant a lot more to him than he let on, or cared to think about too much.
He watched as Shippou jumped up and into the well and his eyes widened as he saw a faint but distinguished blue glow hover over the well for a few surprising seconds. Inuyasha jumped up and leaped after him. In one strong bound he landed beside the wooden structure and looked in to see the small fur-ball curled up into himself on the floor.
"Shippou!"
The young kit looked up sadly. "I thought that if I used my magic, it might work…"
The sun had risen only twice since Kagome had disappeared down the well for her family vacation, saying that she would be back in a month, but the kit was taking it pretty hard. He had been away from her for longer, yet, Inuyasha supposed that it was the idea of her being gone for that long that had the boy so depressed.
Inuyasha looked around and behind him hesitantly before letting himself fall over the lip of the wooden well and land softly beside the distraught child. He sat down next to him, cross-legged as usual, and gathered Shippou into his lap. He untied the cloth holding his bright orange hair up and raked his claws soothingly along his small head and down the short length of hair. He did this again and again until he could hear the small boy's breathing even out and felt him slouch against his chest in the silent surrender of sleep. Even when he knew that the kit was sleeping, he continued his ministrations.
Because the kit wasn't the only one who needed to be comforted.
Disclaimer : This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note :I just thought of this actually. I wanted to expand a little on some distress that Shippou may have had about not being able to follow Kagome through the well, as well as try to develop and give everybody a sense of how I see the relationship between Inuyasha and Shippou.
-Case