Inuyasha stood naked in the bathroom, clutching a towel around his waist. The frustrating clothes laid on the counter mockingly. The weird little thing of white cloth had been set on top. His hair hung long and damp down his back. The emptied shampoo bottle on the edge of the tub reflected in the grit and dirt clinging to the bottom of the tub. He cursed as he considered manipulating the turn-handles again in the proper combination.
Who do you think is going to clean that, baka? Do you think Kagome's mother wants to clean up after your mess?
Inuyasha turned the considerably simpler turn-handles over the sink and used the paper cup to transfer the water. The dirt eventually floated towards the drain.
The miniature brush and medicine-smelling tube on the counter confused him. There was a laughable 'nail-clipper' that would never survive demon claws. Steam covered the ridiculously large piece of glass hanging above the water sink. He settled for grabbing the large square brush bought specifically for this bathroom and ran it through his hair experimentally. It had difficulty pulling through his thicker, coarser mane than he remembered Kagome achieving. Frustrated, he glared at the little brush. It snapped cleanly in two in the middle under the slight pressure.
"Fuck!" Inuyasha tried to bend the pieces back in place. It was irreparably separated.
Kagome's mother had glowed in wonder after he'd volunteered to help clean the garden area where the wedding was going to be held. Plants and weeds and debris had needed to be removed and a white wooden trellis installed. The modestly strong human woman had no troubles vocalizing how good it would be to have a man in the family again, someone strong enough to move the heavier things. The old man was in fine health at his age, but nothing like his younger self. Inuyasha's ego had been petted as she 'helped' him move forgotten scraps of wood, an old bench, some forgotten fountain installation. The nasty machine that spouted fumes had been too much for his nose but required little strength. He'd sat on the sidelines and watched as the grass was magically cut shorter by spinning blades attached underneath with Kagome's brother at the helm. The cat had run yowling into the house, abandoning the stone steps, as soon as the engine had sputtered to life.
He was glad to have the smoke washed out of his hair. The paint fumes in Kagome's room were still wafting through the house. Despite the wench's insistence on staying in the guest room, rather than her own bedroom while the smell faded, his nose was troubled. Having the bedroom farthest from the paint, with Kagome's sweetness covering 'his' bed helped. Her mother's adoring smiles made him feel dirty, like they were admitting their pre-marital intimacy. No matter how awkwardly he had tried to insist that he didn't want to dishonor Kagome's family.
Now he had broken her mother's brush! He wasn't sure what it cost, but Kagome's family had a strict policy on cleanliness. The faintest smells were washed away immediately with those products from the store, the washing machines, the water available in almost every room. It had been decades since he'd had a mother worrying after him to wash his feet, wipe his face, brush his hair, sweeten his breath. His tangled hair dripped down his shoulders heavily and he wrapped the length in a shorter towel to protect the spotless floor. If he couldn't brush out his hair, would Kagome's mother realize what he was? A feral, clanless hanyou with little to offer her beautiful daughter but love?
Inuyasha used a single claw to hold up the distantly familiar white fabric. It was obviously an undergarment, more like Souta's 'shorts' than a fundoshi. His nose wrinkled at the fabric and he tossed them into the corner of the stand. The loose gray hakama were easier to consider, with strings to secure them into place. The long-sleeved shirt was soft and lovingly washed with scentless powder. It fit more snugly than the clothing in his era, but was over-sized to be more comfortable.
Kagome's mother had refused to let him return to the Feudal Era filthy, even when he told her he could swim in a river. The forceful little female had stripped him of his clothes behind the door and taken them to be hand-washed. As he emerged into the hall, he retrieved Tetsusaiga where it rested against the wall. He followed the sounds to the backyard where his red hakama and robe of the fire rat swung from wooden pins in the light breeze. He was tempted to defy Kagome's mother, retrieve them, and dive into the Well.
"What do you have there?" Kagome's mother emerged outside, removing her apron. She shook her head gently as he apologetically handed her the pieces. "I suspected as much. We'll just have to use a sturdier brush. I think I have just the thing."
Inuyasha inwardly groaned and followed her to the stairs. He sat down and allowed her to consider the collection of knots hidden under his hair. The distinct tang of sadness wafted around him as he clenched his fists, waiting for the reprimands. The woman's dull fingertips prodded at his scalp, carefully avoiding his nervous ears. Her plan of attack was to work gently upwards from the base, using a thick wood-handled brush to split the hairs. No harsh words came. His shoulders relaxed slightly when she began to sing something to pass the time, a song he didn't recognize.
Maybe they have accepted me into their pack. Inuyasha considered the old man, the little boy, the widow and the vulnerable human girl. They need a man around this place. Kagome could marry anyone for that, but she wants me. Kagome's mother is in charge of the household; she's never said a harsh word to me. I've broken things and messed up her floors. I've kept her daughter from a better education and the safety of her own home. I'll keep her from marrying a normal human from her own world.
The extraordinary kindness Kagome's mother showed him struck him in the chest. It only tightened when he felt her fingers combing through his hair lightly, tugging on the strands gently. He tightened his jaw to prevent the weird blurriness stinging his eyes from overwhelming him. Trying to reconcile years of harsh living, surviving storms in the branches and trees, fighting despite a rumbling belly and a dozen injuries with the impossible human woman who had invited him into her home was threatening to tear him apart.
"Did I hurt you?" Kagome's mother rested a hand on each trembling shoulder.
"No, I'm fine." The frog in his throat made him sound strange. Her hand slid over his shoulder freely, like any other family member. The air between them was still strangely thick and he knew she was suspicious. He shifted his legs, preparing to leap away, when he felt her arms surround his chest. Her cheek rested on the side of his head. The hold was enough to break him. His hand reached up to clutch her wrist.
Inuyasha could practically feel the ghosts of his mother's loving arms wrapped around him. He trembled when the woman didn't let go. Do all mothers know this hold, this protection? Somehow, despite knowing her weakness, he sensed the will that would arise to protect what was hers. The warm energy of her spirit wrapped around him like a blanket. It had the promise of a home, a warm house in the winter, a loving hand to keep away nightmares. The strength of her shouldn't have surprised him.
This was the woman that had raised the miko of the Shikon Jewel.
