InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Death, No Reason To Forget Love ❯ Returning To The Present Era ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha! I only own the story! But wouldn't it be good if I did own the show? Or the manga? Hmm… Anyway, I hope you enjoy! This kinda took me a long time to write. But besides my meaningless rambling, Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

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Death, No Reason To Forget Love

Chapter Seven: Returning To The Present Era

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The next day, after a rough day of fighting demons seeking the jewel, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippo were all exhausted. Returning back to Kaede's village, it wasn't long until the sun went down and Inuyasha bid farewell to his friends, saying his return would be soon and that they should stay in Kaede's village for the time being. Shortly after his goodbyes, Inuyasha found himself standing in front of the well. Taking out the red rose he kept in his little sewn-in space on the inside of his shirt, he smiled at it before putting it back away, jumping through the well.

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Happy he could still get through the well successfully, Inuyasha used the woven ladder, since he didn't feel like jumping, to get out of the well and he slowly exited the hut that held the Bone Eater's Well and made his way to the house. Apon getting to the doorstep, he knocked on the front door. After no response, he quickly ringed the doorbell, not sure what it was at the time and surprised as he heard a ring through the household.

"Hello, Inuyasha!" Ms. Higurashi exclaimed happily as she opened the door, motioning for him to come in.

"Dog-brother!" Souta called, running up to Inuyasha and almost knocking him over as he ran up and hugged him tightly. "It's been so long since I've last seen you!"

Inuyasha patted Souta on the top of his head, face becoming flustered. "Uh, yeah kid… Good to see you too!"

Ms. Higurashi laughed, resting her back along the doorframe. "Inuyasha, do you mind waiting a while for dinner? You came earlier than I expected, and I'm not done cooking yet."

Free from Souta's grip, it took Inuyasha a minute to register what she said. "Uh, yeah. No problem. What'll I do in the meanwhile?"

"No offence, Inuyasha, but you smell really bad!" Souta said, grinning, plugging his nose with his right index finger and thumb.

"Souta!" his mother scolded him, although she had to agree with her son.

"What, it's true!"

Inuyasha laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Actually, it has been quite a while since I bathed… Gomen nasi Higurashi-San, Souta-Chan."

Ms. Higurashi blinked; she had rarely ever heard Inuyasha give that much respect to anyone! "Well, do you remember how to work the bath upstairs? I believe that Kagome had taught you a while ago?"

"Hai, I remember." Inuyasha said, his voice almost sad, starting to head up the stairs to the upstairs bathroom. Ever since yesterday when he had heard that Kagome had died, he had just gotten depressed at the simplest mention of her name or noticing something that had reminded him of her.

While upstairs, Inuyasha took off his clothing and folded it after he had turned the knobs of the bath, turning on the water. He put the clothing on top of the sink as he got into the water, tensing at first at how hot the water was, but then he let himself slide backward, relaxing. "I've forgotten how nice this feels…" Inuyasha said softly to himself, sighing contently. The water was still very warm, and besides the fact that he almost never cleaned himself, not even after the ugliest of battles, this water made the hanyou feel special and relaxed. He remembered vaguely what to do, since it seemed so long ago that Kagome had explained it to him. Picking up the bar of soap, he started to wash his arm while looking at the shampoo and conditioner bottles.

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"Mama, do you think Inuyasha will like his dinner?" Souta asked, tugging on his mother's shirt.

"Of course he will, he loves his Maru-Chan Ramen noodles! Where have you been every time he's over here?" Ms. Higurashi said jokingly, giving her son a warm smile as she removed the boiling pot of water from the stove after putting on a safety glove, then walking over to the table and pouring the hot water into three Styrofoam cups. "Souta, help me set the table, would you?" she asked. Her son nodded, and Ms. Higurashi opened a cabinet near their kitchen window, handing her son silverware to set up while she set up the bowls and cups.

"Do you think Inuyasha misses Kagome?" Souta said as he sat down at the table, resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

His mother nodded as she sat down beside him. "I couldn't see why not. There's no doubt about it, he loved your sister just as much as she loved him." Ms. Higurashi then laughed to herself as she saw her son grinning. "Yes… They would've worked out perfectly…" she sighed.

Inuyasha gasped and cleared his throat, making his appearance known. He had been wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist since he had quickly gotten out of the tub as his ears picked up Kagome's name. Globs of shampoo were all over his hair, while there were soap bubbles running down his chest, arms, and legs. His eye twitched as Souta fell off his seat at the table, laughing.

"Inuyasha!" Ms. Higurashi called out, holding back her own laughter, as she was startled.

"What about Kagome?" he asked, almost growling.

"Oh, nothing, dear! Souta just asked me a question about her and--"

"You responded truthfully? Thank you." Inuyasha said as he turned to walk up the stairs again, leaving Ms. Higurashi and Souta with puzzled expressions. "And I did love her…" he mumbled under his breath, so low that no one could hear it. "Way much more than what you think…"