Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.
Inu-no-jii-chan
"S-souta?"
The boy jerked his head up, his half-horrified bemusement over Inuyasha's centuries-long aloneness broken. He found himself looking at a set of sleep-heavy eyes, and his own widened.
"Your eyes are red!" he exclaimed. "Why are your eyes red?"
The red, blue-pupiled eyes blinked at him, and then a smirk wrinkled over the ancient face. "Keh. You're definitely Souta."
Souta watched, wondering if he should offer help, as Inuyasha struggled with a groan to sit up. Achieving a stable position, bare, boney feet on the floor, Inuyasha raked his thinned hair back from his face, then scratched his skull. "My human blood's gotten too old and weak," the old hanyo said with a wry smile. "My youkai blood can't be checked by my human side anymore, but as long as Tessaiga's handy, I manage." The one-sided grin became a full smirk. "Next question?"
Souta looked away, discomfited, remembering the times when he'd fired questions at his hero faster than the hanyo could answer. "I wasn't that bad, was I?"
A rusty chuckle answered him. "Don't sweat it, kid. I've gotten used to answering questions. C'mere." Souta joined him on the bed, then yelped as a set of claws lightly scratched the top of his skull, thoroughly mussing his hair in the process.
"Hey!"
Inuyasha chuckled again. "Sorry. Couldn't resist."
Souta scooted a bit closer. "I don't mind."
"Good." Silence fell. Inuyasha draped his arm across Souta's narrow shoulders, "I am glad to see you again, Souta-kun."
The boy looked up with a smile. "Really?"
"Really." Inuyasha returned his smile, but the red eyes were sad. "It was you mother I most wanted to see again, but I didn't forget the first boy who saw me as a 'hero.'" A pause, and then he added quietly, "She missed you almost as much as your mother."
Souta felt a pain at the reminder that his sister was long dead. "Was she ... happy?"
"Yes." Soft, quietly said, with no hesitation.
"Good." Souta snuggled closer. "Inu-no-jii-chan."
Inuyasha snorted. "Old dog man?"
Souta giggled. "You're too old to be my brother."
"Keh."
"I'm glad you made it back."
"Yeah."
Author's Note: This is the longer version of the drabble written for the LiveJournal community "Inuyasha's Unsung Heroes," for prompt #26 "Skull". It was originally posted on April 6th, 2011. It won first place.
This piece in a direct sequel to the previous chapter.
(7/6/11)