Loss
"I need to go home today."
It was a statement, not a question.
"What the fuck?" Inuyasha sputtered out, indignant. "You were just home a few days ago wench!"
She didn't say a single word in response. No argument, no flashing eyes and enraged brows. Just looked up at him and held his gaze with her deep, dark irises for a moment. Her face seemed uncharacteristically emotionless, reminding him of someone he couldn't quite put a finger on right this moment. But it threw him off guard, the lack of fire. Usually she laid on him just as much, if not more heat as he gave her. Her stubborn ability to stand up to him was part of what made her so irresistibly interesting.
When he had a chance to gather his wits, she was already a speck on the horizon having borrowed Kirara for a ride back to the well.
Cursing up a storm, he did the only thing available to him. He followed her.
—
Apparently following her meant tracking her scent (and her family's) across her strange world. It's particularly challenging to pick out the subtle hints beneath the overwhelmingly obnoxious stench that was all the modern inventions. Not to mention that sound was not at all helpful to the hunt in her time. But nothing proved too much for his superior senses. Sure enough, he found the little entourage climbing steadily up a hill. Criss-crossing the hillside were well-trekked paths leading from one headstone to the next. That was something that didn't change with the centuries.
The hanyou sought refuge in a nearby tree, which, curse it, wasn't actually that nearby. The wind was not in his favour that day either so much of their soft murmured words were lost in the drone of her world. After a few moments, he saw Kagome's mom, brother and grandfather move away from the grave after another series of bows. A gentle squeeze of the girl's shoulder and she was left alone, head still bowed. He watched the humans walk slowly under his perch seemingly heading back towards the gate at the bottom. It took more of his superhuman abilities than he would ever admit to not yelp in surprise when Kagome's mom, while passing under, unexpectedly looked up and caught his gaze squarely. But she smiled warmly at him and bobbed her head a little in greeting before swiftly catching up with the rest of the family.
He took that for the permission it was. Not that he needed it mind you.
He alighted silently just a few steps beside her. Other than a miniscule tilt of her head towards him, it didn't seem like she was startled the least by his appearance. She was still wearing the same heavy cloak she had worn when he last saw her, it being a blistery autumn day in the Sengoku Jidai. But what bothered him was that she was hunched over, almost folded in on herself, both arms wrapped tight around her torso. The Kagome he knew wasn't like this.
Awkwardly, Inuyasha shuffled from foot to foot, fingers twitching with the barely restrained need to touch her.
"He died six years ago today." Came Kagome's voice in a whisper. Her watery, grey eyes still trained steadily on the kanji engraved on the stone. A man's name. Her surname.
He grunted, hoping she'd understand he wanted her to keep talking.
"It was a Saturday, he'd needed to drop by work for the morning." She faltered, voice going hoarse with tears she was trying to hold back. "I didn't even pay attention when he said goodbye, Sota and I was playing a game. I didn't know. Papa never came back."
He gave in, because fuck it. She'd comforted him before. When he had just slaughtered a good handful of humans. He'd be an ass not to return the favour. He circled his arms around her shoulders, much like she had with him before, long red sleeves trailing across her front.
"We never know," He began lowly, voice gruff with hesitancy. He's not great with this kind of stuff. "That's why you gotta make the most of everything yah? He knows how you feel."
After a long silent moment, a shuddering, broken laugh from her that sounded more like a strangled cry.
"Who are you and what have you done with the real Inuyasha?" She teased feebly, gripping a corner of a velvety ear and tugging a little. A tiny smile, finally, finally graced her lips. He squeezed her tighter.
"Keh."
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A/N: And I'm back with this little something. A little somber, and no doubt on the inspiration. Stay safe everyone, and grounded in the moment. The present always has something beautiful to offer. Much love!
