Stringing Along by Tokahlia

Observations in Silence

Chapter 15 - Observations in Silence

… Then she closed her mouth, brows furrowing slightly in concentration. The hut went quiet again as they waited for the elderly woman to make up her mind, Kagome studied her friends anew in concentration.

Sango and Miroku stood together in near the same clothing. Sango looked a little more tired, with slight dark circles under her eyes but her smile was the same. The corners of her eyes were creased slightly from smiles and, if Kagome wasn't mistaken, she had a new cut on her left cheek. Miroku was closer to Sango than Kagome had ever seen him, in fact, his weathered hand rested leisurely on Sango's hip. That was enough for her to gape at.

Though curious about her old friend's new type of relationship Kagome decided to push back her questions and congratulations to focus on the fox kit she had called her son. He sat now dressed in a new, jade green happi coat and hakama that seemed to be a tad too big for him, deep blue asanoha pattern on the happi giving an overall turquoise effect. His orange hair was pulled back and neatly combed, his tail was deeper in orange and sleeker and his eyes were a little smaller in his face. It made her heart break to see him grown up in such a short amount of time. She should have been here, to see him age and to cuddle him and to keep him the cute little thing he had been instead of the boy who was now the same height as a slightly taller Rin.

Yes, Sesshoumaru's young ward stared up at her lord in fascination; that much hadn't changed. Her hairstyle also remained constant but instead of her 'usual' drab she now wore an expensive looking, light purple furosode. Tabi socks and sandals now replaced bare feet and her skin seemed a little healthier, cheeks a little brighter. Not to say Kagome thought that before she looked sickly. It was probably the lighting. And the shoes. Fear of cold feet was something that seemed to be inherited by daughters from mothers.

For some, inexplicable reason Kagome found her gaze to skim over Inuyasha, like he was something she'd rather ignore. It made her heart hammer heavily against her ribcage to see him. Because of the usual nerves and jitters or because of some other reason, Kagome did not know. All she absorbed was a sulking mouth, pale, golden eyes and dog ears amidst a sea of coarse, white hair.

Now that she stopped to observe the elderly woman Kagome could detect slight differences. Her hair was paler, and her face had gained a few more wrinkles. The miko's hands looked to be thicker, was she suffering from arthritis? Kaede had never though for so long on a subject before, was her mind deteriorating? Kagome's heart panged in fear at the thought.

The sands of time seemed to have affected them all.

Except perhaps, for one, precise, white-clad, stoic, inu-youkai.

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Word Count – 500

Prompt: Sand for Riku Ryuu's Random Prompts #8