Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.
The Room
The effort to climb the stairs was worthwhile to reach the sanctuary that was Kagome's old room. The old hanyo leaned against the closed door, exhausted, even though it was yet early.
Breakfast had been bad. He had felt relieved when Mr. Higurashi did not demand his departure, but the old man's pain and hostility had been nearly overwhelming. Souta had tried to distract everyone by rattling on about school, but—if anything—that had made it harder to eat. Mama had looked troubled and concerned, when she asked him whether he would prefer something else, but he had shaken his head and left, leaving everything but the miso soup untouched.
Inuyasha looked around the room, trying to distract himself. The sense of familiarity was less than he had thought. The remnants of Kagome's smell gave the room the closest sense of being 'home' that he had felt in decades. But, under the bright light of the morning sun, the room was almost unfamiliar. The furniture was the same, but other things... The bedspread was a different color, while the stuffed animals were gone, replaced by books.
Kagome had made changes over the years, he realized. It made sense—she had changed in those three years. This room reflected that Kagome, not the girl he had fallen in love with, or the woman he had known so intimately.
Knocking on the door startled him. "Inuyasha? May I come in?"
He used Tessaiga to limp away from the door. "Okay."
Mrs. Higurashi stepped in, smiling with a false brightness. "I usually wash clothes on Saturday," she said. "I realized I haven't changed the sheets on Kagome's bed since she left, so I was thinking that I really should wash them…"
Inuyasha's ears twitched as dismay flashed through him. Kagome's odor was strongest between sheets: he had been so comforted to sleep surrounded by her smell. The thought of having most of that stripped away by modern detergents—
"I don't have to do them this week," she said, clearly reading his reaction. Walking forward, she gathered him into a gentle hug. "If there's anything you want done to this room, just let me know. I kept meaning to come up here and pack things away, but, I just wasn't able to…"
He sighed, returning her embrace. "I just realized this isn't as I remember," he admitted. "Kagome never talked very much about her last three years."
"She was always a little bit sad, though she didn't show it much," said Mama, backing up enough to meet his gaze. "I was happy when I realized the well had reopened, even though it hurt to know I'd probably never see her again. After finishing high school… all she really wanted was you."
Inuyasha swallowed a knot in his throat, reaching up to caress her cheek. "You gave me the greatest gift anyone's ever given me, save Kagome, when you allowed her to come back," he whispered. "Thank-you."
Tears glinted as they hugged again.
Author's Note: This was written for the prompt 'Sanctuary', for the LiveJournal Community 'Inuyasha FanFiction: The Drabble Community" on LiveJournal. The scene takes place after the previous chapter (Monster in the Home). It was originally posted on March 19, 2012. It won the contest. (1/4/2013)