Disclaimer: I don't own inuyasha!
[Rain.]
Rain. He hated the rain. Not because the relentless rain caused his white hair to tangle and become matted, not because the cold drops of water caused him to shiver, not because those fleeting sheets of grey lines made him feel lonely, but because the rain had taken away his beloved wife. If the rain had not chosen to pour on that fateful day, Kagome would never have taken ill. Her already frail body would not have succumbed to the fatal claws of some futuristic-sounding disease –influrza? At least, that sounded like what Kagome had called it— He hated the rain with a burning, livid passion. The hateful, cold, merciless curtain of dull stuff had snatched away his love. And he hadn't been able to do anything about it.
With a sigh, he continued to trudge upwards, pushing forward through the rain draping the air, shivering a little as the cold water seeped through his clothes. Minutes later, he arrived at the top of the hill, the bunch of flowers in his hands all sodden and no longer looking like the spry young things they'd been at the bottom of the hill before the rain attacked.
At the top of the hill, three imposing gravestones stood, one for Sango, one for Miroku, and one for Kagome. The white-haired man strode over to Kagome's grave. Sudden tears stung his eyes; a harsh sob escaped from his fanged mouth as he sank to his knees before Kagome's grave marker. Kagome… I failed you. I couldn't save you from influrza... whatever demon that is… and I promised to protect you for the rest of your life! Forgive me, woman.
Kagome lay on the most comfortable mat in their spacious hut. She coughed feebly as the young priestess tried to feed her some herbal medicine. She couldn't swallow a single spoonful of the bitter soup. With a sigh, the young priestess took him outside to have a word.
"Lord Inuyasha, I'm really sorry. I can't do much. I fear her end is near…"
"What?! You –"
"Inuyasha! Come in here, will you?"
He was interrupted by Kagome calling him from within the hut. With a sigh, he moved inside. Sitting by her, he took her pale thin hands into his own robust ones, stroking them ever so lightly.
"Yes, Kagome? Why did you call me?"
"Inuyasha, I know the end is near. No, don't speak, listen to me." She pressed a finger against his lips.
"Inuyasha, I'm very glad that I had the chance to spend seventy happy years with you. But you must know that humans are not immortal. We do not enjoy eternal life like demons. As surely as the moon must make way for the sun when dawn comes, all humans must one day leave this world. Don't grieve too much for me when I'm gone. I will love you forever." Her cold fingers closed around his own.
"Kagome, I –"
"Don't worry for me. I'll have Sango and Miroku to protect me where I'm going. So just enjoy the rest of your life. I'll wait for you on the other side, I promise."
Without a word, he nuzzled her forehead affectionately, trying to tell her that he would never ever be able to forget her, no matter how much the world would change. That night, Kagome's soul left her body as the wind howled outside, even as her mortal self lay peacefully in his arms.
Months after her death, his brother had come to visit, and found him still grieving.
"Did you really love her that much?" Sesshoumaru had asked.
"Yes. I loved her that much. You'll understand when it's Rin's turn."
"Maybe."
"Like old Kaede said, Kagome was really one-of-a-kind. She was the first to truly accept me for who I am, the one who taught me how to live. How can I not grieve?"
Sesshoumaru had no reply to that.
The rain continued to drain down ruthlessly from the sky. No, this tangible tirade would never stop. His life would be like it; dull, colourless, meaningless, and empty as the fleeting memories that drifted through the sky as clouds.
He glanced down the hillside; the world was awash in monotone greyscale paint; leaves were dull and brown, flowers were wet and dreary, puddles of mud dotted the soggy landscape. It was altogether a desolate land. Ominously dark clouds hovered above, shrouding the bleak countryside with an oppressing darkness. What else was there for him in this sad world? His friends were gone, his wife was gone. Maybe it was time for him to go too.
With a pale, lifeless smile on his still youngish-looking face, he gently embraced Kagome's gravestone before standing up. With a few purposeful strides he stood at the edge of the hill, waiting. For minutes he stood there, unmoving, till the first flash of lightning appeared.
Death, as the newspapers like to say, was instantaneous.
The flash of white-hot lightning that struck his body lit up the barren landscape for miles. The thunder did not need to mask his scream of pain – he did not scream. Slowly, his body fell from sight as the darkness once again claimed the land as its own. Atop the hill, the forgotten bouquet still lay, drenched, soggy and no longer spry. As the rain washed all the ephemeral happenings of the day away with its piercing water, the red petals of the flowers fluttered softly in the howling wind, echoing the laments of love.
The red petals fluttered silently in the darkness.
A/N: I have no idea what possessed me to write this fic haha. All i know is that school has started, so i won't be able to post frequently anymore. So yeah, i must make use the free time i still have to write as many fics as possible xD Hahaha anyway, thanks for reading! :D
