Excuses

[pc32_fics]

Tssshhh. Tssssh. Tsssshhhh.

The straw scraped across the concrete, echoing around the shrine as day slowly melted into night.

‘Perhaps malaria.’ Had he used malaria yet? Malaria was a nice, long-term disease. It’d save him excuses for another week or so.

The rolling of the well-house door on its track rumbled over the hiss of the broom. “Hi, gramps!”

“Welcome home, dear.”

Tssshhh. Tssssh. Tsssshhhh.

Uneven footfalls thwapped across to the house. His daughter-in-law would see to the injury; it couldn’t have been bad or the hooligan of a hanyou traveling with Kagome would have brought her back himself.

Wild, hanyou and from the past the boy may be, but he wasn’t irresponsible.

‘Perhaps a leg injury… something to do with her foot. I could use another pair of orthopedic sandals; these are thinning out.’

He’d read in the paper the latest research on magnetic therapy; maybe that kind, naïve friend of hers would bring some for him – well, her – to try out. His knees had been paining him with the cold weather creeping in…

Tssshhh. Tssssh. Tsssshhhh.

“Thanks, mom! Bye, Souta!” A slightly uneven pace joined the hiss of the broom.

“Leaving so soon?”

“Sorry! InuYasha really wants us to leave tonight; we have a lead on another shard. Can’t let Naraku get it!”

“Did you remember that kappa’s hand? It will keep you safe!”

“Sure thing, gramps!”

The well-house door scraped across the track, closing with an echoing slam.

Tssshhh. Tssssh. Tsssshhhh.

‘The flu has been going around…’