Remnants of the Morning Sun

By oORainOo


"We're all the same
And love is blind
The sun is gone
Before it shines

And I said if the answer is no
Can I change your mind?"

- "Change Your Mind," The Killers


"Kagome..."

Her name was nothing more than a warm murmur against her own lips.

Everything inside her warmed, heart beating strongly in her ears, pulling her hands through his long, silvery hair and trailing across the familiar planes and ripples of his lean body above her. Her kimono had parted, baring the crevice between her breasts, and more then, as the knot dwindled between his nimble fingers. His eyes were warm, inhumanly bright in the shadows of their room, looking for an answer in her expression- Her permission, and she felt those words bubbling from her lips, in a soft whisper, before she could stop herself. "I trust you."

The truth.

Feverish kisses were replaced by fragments of movement and colors, until pain exploded throughout her body, and she was lying on her stomach, dirt mixing with blood, and arms wrapped protectively around her abdomen. He had found her.

Kagome kept one arm around her waist and pressed the other in to the soft earth, shakily lifting herself off the ground. For a few moments, all she could hear was the wind in the reeds, bending and shaking, and her shuddering breaths. Tears brimmed at the corner of her eyes, and she was unable to keep them from leaking down her cheeks. Was she weak?

Moments felt like hours, and deep reds and oranges painted the meadow from the sun. It wouldn't be long before night overcame the clearing. She hadn't moved and neither had he. But she knew he hadn't left. Taking in a deep breath, she lifted her chin, heart a constant, steady thrum, and there he was: tall, pale, pristine- he seemed completely and utterly demonic standing there against the sun. And as she looked up into his malevolent golden eyes, terror blossomed again throughout her chest, as he leap forward, claws racing for her heart-

Thunder crashed outside.

Jumping upright, Kagome clutched her chest, fingers fisting in the flimsy camisole, unable to breath, and wide eyes jumping in all directions. He wasn't there. The room came in to focus, slowly, as her panic died down. Rain slid over the windows, casting strange shadows by moonlight through her curtains. No one else was in the large room or in her bed. She was alone. A Nightmare. Kagome sighed, inhaling deeply, but it caught in her lungs. No, not just a nighmare. Memories. Of Him.

A loud crash, and she jumped again, squeezing her eyes shut. Thunder. Get ahold of yourself, she thought, irritably flipping the covers off and swinging her bare legs to the ground. She couldn't go back to sleep after that dream. Dropping her head in to her palm, she imagined feeling the adrenaline seeping out of her blood and a long dreamless sleep into late morning, heartbeat slowing to normal. Her other hand had found its way to her stomach, pressing against the silk shirt in a comforting gesture. Those bright, gilded eyes and handsome face... Don't think about it.

It was just a dream, yet it still had roused the grimy, dark shadows in the corners of her mind to spread like a moonless night over land. Flipping on her bedside lamp, pale light illuminated the shadows and she saw hers move against the yellow wall, standing and pulling a thin robe over its shoulders. Kagome left her room quickly, padding down the hall.

The hallway ended with a wide staircase and banister winding down in a slow, lazy arc to the first floor. The tiles were black and white chequers at the base, and cold beneath her feet, so she stepped quickly over them and on to the burgundy rugs in the living room, evading the squeaky floorboards with ease. The large flatscreen tv hung on the wall, Shippou's impressive sound system and their combined DVD collection set up on the table below. Various game consoles and opened video cases were scattered on the floor and she made a mental note to clean them up tomorrow. Across the room, the large, suede couch he had bought last year encompassed the entire wall, white curtains hung behind them. Blankets and pillows were strewn over it, so she added them to her mental to-do list as well.

Crossing the room and pushing open another door, Kagome reached to the left and flipped on the lights, illuminating the sky-blue walls and black cabinents and countertops of the kitchen. She smiled. In here, mosiacs covered the walls between counter and cabinents, of foxes chasing each other and other nature motifs designed by Shippou himself. She wasn't especially hungry, though. The kitchen had just been the first thing which came to mind when she left her room. It was peaceful and bright, far removed from her shadowed bedroom.

Sticking the first clean cup she found under the faucet, water gushed forth and rose to the top and she pressed the handle down, lifting the glass to her lips. The cool water flowed down her throat, icy tendrils spreading across her chest and into her stomach and she shivered, closing her eyes.

Shippou had found her four years ago in the present era. She had been sweeping the courtyard when the tall, auburn-haired man sauntered up the shrine steps, dark sunglasses shielded his eyes, oxford partially unbuttoned, and wearing designer jeans. He was a demon- She noticed right away, and had squeezed the broom tighter, prepared to charge it with holy power should she need to defend herself. He stopped a meter away and had teased her, saying, "Don't you recognize me, kaa-san?"

They had almost been inseperable since then, and within months of finding each other, they were living together in his estate twenty minutes outside of Tokyo. The estate was large, and surprisingly Western. She had loved the old architecture from the first time she saw it, yet she had been reluctant to leave the shrine. Although she couldn't hunt for shards anymore, the well still transported them between times and Inuyasha often visited, bringing news of the villiage or demons he had defeated and then returning home with ramen and medical supplies. So they had decided to meet the last weekend of every month, when Shippou drove them to shrine, and Inuyasha would stay with her family for two days or they'd stay in Kaede's villiage on the other side of the well. Taking a seat across the window, she wrapped her hands around the cool glass. Fours years... It had gone by so slow, and so fast all at once.

She didn't know how long she sat there, staring in to the dark panes of the windows and listening to the crashes of thunder and waves of rain against the house. But she realized the glass was empty and the clock had already crossed the twelve hand with three chimes. She sighed. Leaving her glass in the sink, Kagome radjusted her robe around her and began the long walk back to the room, past the vintage paintings and various antiques and playthings around the house. Past Shippou's room, whose soft snores echoed through the door and she smiled, stopping in front of the door next to his. She resisted the urge to peek in to the room across the hall from hers, but instead turned the knob and ducked inside her room.

Pulling it shut and releasing the knob, she turned only to still, hand drifting slowly to her side. She had left the light on in her room, bathing the bed in a dim, golden light. And there, snuggling above her sheets, nose buried in her pillow, the small form of her son curled around his stuffed fox, Koko. His silver hair spilled around his face, tips brushing his shoulders, and small triangular ears twitching in his sleep. His breaths were long and even, and she knew he was sound asleep. Kagome quietly crossed the room, kneeling beside the bed and folding her arms on the matress. His blue collared pajamas were decorated with swirls of emerald leaves and acorns, something Shippou had designed especially with him in mind. She realized he was holding his own tail, a small hand fisted over the tip and hugging it to his chest. Kagome smiled softly, brushing the hair from his eyes. He stirred and, very slowly, his eyes opened, their pale blue depths hazy and unfocused. His small mouth opened in a wide yawn, little pointy canines visible. Blinking a few times, he saw her smile and he suddenly hurled himself in to her arms. "Mama!"

"Yuki, what's wrong? Couldn't you sleep?" She whispered, returning the hug and moving to sit on the bed, the kit in her lap.

"I couldn't find you," he mumbled, and she knew he was wavering on the brink of tears. She soothingly ran her hands through his hair, nuzzling her cheek against his. "And.. And the rain..."

"It's okay. I'm here now." She said and he nodded, sniffling for a little longer before timidly asking,

"Can I.. Can I stay?"

"Of course!" Kagome kissed his nose and the kit giggled, scrunching his nose and she wiggled hers in return.

"Just.. don't tell Shippou, okay?" Yuki said. "He said I'm a big boy now. And big boys aren't afriad of.. of thunder."

"I won't. But," She leaned forward, and he looked up at her with big eyes. She stage-whispered, "your brother... He's still afriad of thunder, too. The only problem is, he can't hear the lightning anymore above his snoring!"

Yuki laughed. "He snores really, really loud!" He agreed, gripping Koko in his arms. "Can Koko stay, too?"

"If he gives me a goodnight kiss." She smiled. Yuki's face brightened.

"Just like he used to?"

Kagome's heartbeat jammed, and images flashed through her mind like lightning and faded with thunder shaking in her pulse.

"Yep," she kept her voice even. "Just like he used to."

He pressed the grey fox's snout against her cheek, and Kagome made a kissing noise. Yuki giggled, leaning forward to claim his own good night kiss.

Yuki climbed out of her lap and scrambled under the covers and she chuckled, removing her robe and tossing it on the foot of the bed, before turning off the light. With the covers pulled up their chins, she wrapped her arms around her precious load and he buried himself in to her chest. "Good night, mama. I love you." He whispered.

She kissed the top of his head. "I love you, too, Yuki. Sweet dreams."

As silence enveloped the room in a safe cacoon, she couldn't fall asleep just yet, troubled by his words. 'Just like he used to...' She closed her eyes, feeling her heart flutter. Yuki didn't know any better. He had never met his father. And that night, so long ago, when he had overheard her and Shippou discussing his father, he had presented his fox to her the next morning, declaring him 'Koko,' his sleepy mind having only remembered part of his name. She hadn't had it in her to correct him. Still, it had only been a letter off.

Koko, Yuki's best friend and inadvertly his father, too. Youko.

She swallowed, her mind surfacing with the hazy mirages of her dream. But he was gone. Shippou had told her so, having died in a heist with Kuronue over two decades ago. He never would know he had a son. That they had had a son... Adorable little Yuki, with mixed traits from both of his parents. More from his father,with his tail, fox ears, and silver hair. But his eyes; His eyes were all hers. Blue, but much paler than hers, probably because of his demonic herritage. He was a half-demon, yes, and he was perfect in her eyes.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and exhaled. They didn't need Youko in their lives. She didn't need him. It had been four years, and the ache had dulled in her heart. He was nothing more than a painful memory now. But he was the cause for the little boy sleeping against her, tail ticking her bare knees.

Strange, she thought tiredly, something so wonderful could come from that winter... So wonderful...

Her mind drifted away, a bittersweet smile touching the corners of mouth. Youko...


A/N: The story is very bittersweet (if you haven't noticed yet), I spent many days and nights mooning over the possibilities of their relationship. I have these wonderful, whimsy images in my head, and they're making their way to paper and keyboard, progressively. Yuki is so cute! I wish I share the image of him in my head with all of you, but you'll just have imagine the cutest kid you've ever seen and super-impose him with ears and a tail. Kawaii. There's a lot going on here, plot-wise, and I didn't want to give too much away in the first chapter. So, stay tuned! ( : Oh, and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading! PS- Note the opening lyrics; I found them last night and could've believe how well they fit for this story. Anyway, if you were at all curious.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha or Yuu Yuu Hakusho.

oORainOo

2-4-2008