AN: I don't know what it was, but I loved writing this chapter! Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
Disclaimer: Once again, See Ch. 1.
Healing Scars
Chapter 14: Stripping
Damn and here I was just thinking I was in the clear. I had completely forgotten about the blood that covered the back of my undershirt from where the demon bear's claw had pierced me. I straighten up and catch sight of Kagome's anxious face; her eyes are asking why I didn't tell her. But I choose to put her mom's fears to rest first.
"I'm fine Mrs. Higurashi," I say turning to face her and at the same time showing my back to Kagome, who I know would figure out that I was fine. I hear Kagome snigger, realizing now that I am not in any danger. "I promise you, I am not hurt."
She glares at me, ferocious enough to make me want to take a step back, now I see where Kagome gets it from. "Do you really think that I am going to be satisfied with that answer after I just heard my daughter say that and she had her back ripped apart! Knowing you, that means you have a hole through your stomach!"
I flinch, wondering if she realizes how close to the mark she really is about what Kagome and I consider 'fine' when my body is concerned.
Kagome's mom crosses her arms over her chest and says in a tone that booked no arguments, "Strip!"
Kagome, who, up in till this point had been sniggering quietly behind me abruptly falls silent. I glance at her and am amused to see that she has flushed red, she has seen my chest plenty of times due to battle wounds and has twice seen me fully naked, but I feel like bringing that up in front of her mother would significantly shorten my life span.
"Strip Inuyasha or I will do it for you!" Kagome's mother threatens.
"Alright, alright," I say, my hands moving towards to neckline of my kosode. I quickly tug it off my shoulders letting it fall around my waist, while simultaneously turning around and presenting my back to Kagome's mom for inspection.
I cross my arms over my now bare chest and glare at the wall, "There, see I told you, I'm fine."
I hear Kagome's mom gasp behind me as she views my perfectly healed back. I jump though when suddenly I feel hands running over it, gently pushing my hair over my left shoulder to get a better view. Twisting my head around I stare at Kagome's mom, but she is utterly fascinated with my skin it seems.
"There's just a line, a red line, like it has been healing for weeks," she whispers, gentle fingers tracing over the scar that in another day will disappear completely. I close my eyes, struggling suddenly with emotions that I'd rather not name. Nobody besides Kagome has touched me with this much care and attention since my mother died and I can barely remember that.
'How lucky Kagome is,' I think, glancing back at Kagome's mom, 'to have her mother.'
"But the blood," she glances back down at the shirt that is pooled around my waist, "the blood could not have been more than a couple of days old! There is no way you could have healed that fast!"
"Mom, he's a hanyou, not a regular human, he is going to heal faster and what would be life threatening in a human is more like getting a broken arm to him," speaks up Kagome from her spot on her bed, she glances at me before quickly turning away, her face now the most brilliant shade of red.
"Really?" says her mom, completely enthralled. "So my thing about having a hole in your stomach…"
I grin at her, flashing canines, "Has happened, several times."
Her mom's hands continue to trail across my back, she pauses and leans in closer to me, close enough that I can feel her breath ghosting over my skin. I somehow resist the urge to shudder.
"But there are scars," she murmurs, tracing one on my right shoulder with her finger.
I know the one that she is tracing well. It was the time that Sesshomaru attacked Kagome with my own sword and I took the brunt of the Wind Scar. We had both been lucky that Sesshomaru could not transform the Tetsusaiga completely or we would have both died.
"What happened to you that was so severe that it would scar?" she asks, glancing up at my face.
I turn my head and state quietly, "My brother attacked me with my own sword."
"Oh! I'm sorry!" she jerks her hands away from my back and part of me longs for the touch again. But before she can say anything else, Kagome lets out another huge yawn and that seems to snap her mother back into action.
"Oh wow, look at me fussing over all of this, when you need your sleep Kagome," she says hastily backing away from me.
I raise my eyebrows suspiciously at Kagome and she gives me a quick wink.
'I thought so; she faked the yawn to keep me from having to explain about Sesshomaru. I owe you one Kagome.'
I bend down retrieving my kosode and am ready to pull it back on, when a hand on my arm stops me. I glance down to see Kagome's mom face smiling shyly up at me.
"I could wash that for you if you like? Get the blood and the dirt out of it; in fact I could wash your whole outfit!"
"Uh, sure," I say, not too sure how to respond to that, "If you want to that is."
"Here let me get you something to change into while I am washing it," she says earnestly, grabbing me by the hand and pulling me out of Kagome's room.
I manage to shoot Kagome a confused look before the door shuts behind me. Kagome's mom drags me into what I assume is her room by the smell. She drops my arm and bends down next a chest and starts to rummage through it.
"Yes, he was about your size, so his things should fit," her voice is muffled by the clothes that she is tossing around inside the chest. The next second she pops back up with a triumphant grin and is holding a pair of black pants in her hand.
"Oh, I am glad that I did not get rid of all of his things!" she cries happily. "Here try these on they should fit." She thrusts the pants at me and I realize that they are made of the same material that some of Kagome's sleep outfits are made of, so they must be 'pajamas' or whatever it is Kagome calls them. (AN: imagine black cotton, draw string pants)
"Here," she says shepherding me into the bathroom, "put those on and bring out what you are wearing and I'll get started washing it."
Next thing I know the door slams and I am left alone in the bathroom, wondering 'what the hell'? I shrug and strip out of my clothes. I have to admit, clean clothes sound nice. I can barely remember when was the last time that I had actually taken time to wash my clothes. The fire rat cleans itself but still it is nice for it to be scrubbed as well. I grab the pants that Kagome's mom has given me and a strange scent wafts past my nose. I pause, trying to identify it. It's definitely familiar, but where would I have smelled this scent before? I blink as it comes to me.
'It's Kagome's scent, but…not Kagome's scent, it's her but…male." I muse to myself as I pull them on. I have to admit they are comfy, so different from the clothes that I am used to wearing, plus they fit. I gather up my old clothes and open the bathroom door to find Kagome's mom waiting for me. She takes a quick look over me and nods, obviously satisfied.
"Good they do fit. I thought they might. Kagome's dad was around your height and build after all."
'So that is why the scent was familiar to me, its Kagome's dad's smell.' I wordlessly hand over my clothes while pondering this. Just as Kagome's mom is about to turn away from me I ask the question that is plaguing my mind now that I know who the scent belongs to.
"Mrs. Higurashi?" I ask, not sure if I should bring this up, but as the saying goes curiosity killed the demon. "What happened to your husband? Kagome never talks about it."
"Oh, I'm surprised she never told you, it's never bothered her before. He died, a car accident, Sota was not even a year old and Kagome was seven." She states all of this matter of factly, but I can sense the sadness behind the words.
"I'm sorry for your loss," I mutter the standard condolences.
"Don't be Inuyasha. It happened many years ago and though I still miss him, I have endured along with my children."
I nod, seeing where Kagome gets so much of her strength.
She smiles at me, "You really do have a heart of gold Inuyasha, despite how much you try to hide it."
"Yeah, well," I say gruffly, embarrassed now, "where I come from a demon showing compassion for humans is a one way ticket to the next world."
"I imagine my daughter might have a thing to do with your change in attitude?" she inquires, raising an eyebrow. Her look tells me that she knows full well that Kagome is responsible but she wants me to say it.
"Feh. Some of it." I am not going to give in that easily.
"She loves you."
She states it so calmly that I have run what she said through my head again to make sure I heard her right.
I sigh and nod, "I know, but I am not sure I deserve her love."
"Kagome is an excellent judge of character. So if she has devoted herself to you as much as I think she has then you must have something going right for you Inuyasha."
And saying that she gives me a gentle shove towards Kagome's door, before turning and heading down the stairs. I stare after her for a moment, thinking about what she said before turning and quietly entering Kagome's room.
AN2: They never say in the manga or the anime what happens to Kagome's father. I am assuming that he is dead. If anyone has any more concrete evidence I would be glad to hear it! As always please review!