Disclaimer: Apart from merchandise with his logo, I do not own Inu-Yasha.
Author's Note: After finding myself hooked on them, I've decided to start my own little ficlet corner (600 words or less in each installment) for my baby ideas that I don't have time to nurse into full blown plot lines. They will have no rhyme or reason or order- some may be AU, others not. I just felt like this would be fun to try.
Please enjoy!
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"HUG"
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It was. . . awkward. . . the first time he gave me a hug. I remember being startled, embarrassed. . .
And uncomfortable.
Not just because he was bleeding heavily from the stomach. Or because he was practically unconscious upon me. Or even because my nose was squished oddly against his shoulder. The main reason it was painful was because. . . Well. . .
I honestly don't think he knew what he was doing. When he gathered me close, he pressed me to his chest roughly, and squashed my face strangely against the junction between his neck and collar bone. His elbows, too, jutted out irregularly, stiffly, and he seemed to forget about how sharp his nails could be.
I don't think he was very comfortable either, and it didn't have to do with his injuries. He kept shifting subtly (or perhaps it was just shivering), and he didn't seem to know where to rest his head.
But none of that really mattered much- the physical discomfort, anyway. What hurt me most- both physically and mentally- was the fact that he DIDN'T know how to hug me. How could anyone grow up without knowing how to give a proper hug? Or perhaps he'd just forgotten? Had it been that long since he'd had human affection?
Maybe. . .
The thought never left my mind- not even after he tossed me down the well. That hug. . . Perhaps it was only a diversion.
Perhaps not.
All I knew- falling down the cold shaft and watching his face shrink to the size of a postage stamp before disappearing completely- was that I'd be back. I had to come back.
I had to teach him how to give a proper hug.
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(Note: Maybe it was just me, but the first hug I believe it was manga 7 looked pretty awkward. Or at least the anime made it appear so. All the same, this one was sort of fun to do. :-))