InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Little Bits ❯ Appreciation ( Chapter 16 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

When Kagome mentions the holiday, Inuyasha reflects on the elderly humans he's known.

Author's Note: This was written for the challenge "Respect for the Aged Day" on the FirstTweak community on LiveJournal. ("Respect for the Aged Day" is a Japanese holiday in mid-September, Keiro no Hi.) This one-shot was originally posted on September 26, 2008.)

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.31.2008 | Updated On: 09.02.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 808 | Visits: 323 | Status: Completed

Appreciation

He noticed her pensiveness, as they sat together, watching the moon. "Kagome?"

She sighed. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Ji-chan. Keiro no Hi. Tomorrow--I think."

"Never heard of it."

"It's a holiday from my time." Another sigh. "Before I left, I told him I loved him...but I never thought to apologize for disrespecting him all those years ... all the things he tried to teach me, but I wouldn't listen..."

Inuyasha put a comforting arm around her shoulders, puzzling over the concepts. Respect. Elders. What old humans had he ever known, who deserved his respect? Not his grandfather, who'd pretended he didn't exist. The woman--aunt?--who'd helped him out that first year. Maybe if she'd taken him in... Other than those--and the current elders in the village, none of which he knew very well--the only other old human he could think of was Kaede.

Old, one-eyed Kaede. What did he think of her, besides the fact that she was Kikyo's sister, and had spelled that damned rosary onto him?

He fingered the object in question. If it hadn't been for the rosary...

Memories flickered. Kaede feeding him, tending his wounds. Scolding him, listening to him--grieving with him. Never afraid of him, never belittling on him. She--did she ... care for him? Like him?

Kagome's arm snaked around his waist. "So what are you thinking of?"

"Kaede."

"What about Kaede?"

His ears twitched. "Maybe...for this--Keiro no Hi... I'll be polite to her."

"You should always be polite to her."

"Keh!"

"Inu-yasha..."

He glanced down at her scolding expression, then stole a kiss. "I'll forget..."

"You could try..."

"Keh." He went back to nibbling her lips, progressing from there, but in the back of his mind, decided.

Kaede ... good old Kaede ...

It wouldn't hurt to try.