Title: Who Wants to Live Forever
Author: The Painted Lady
Disclaimer: Nothing in this story, maybe not even the plot, is original. Please don't sue.
Song Lyrics Here
There's no time for us
There's no place for us
"It's time," an aged voice whispered. Inu Yasha glanced up from his hands nervously. He hated his hands. His hands were no different than they were sixty years ago. And while his hands stayed supple with the vigor of youth, hers, his love's, had grown feeble with age.
"Are you sure?" he asked. The old woman nodded. This woman, with whom he'd fought many battles, was about to be one of the last ones left from their little group. Sighing softly, partly to hold the trembling of his lip, Inu Yasha rose from his seated position in front of the small hut and past the old woman, nodding respectfully. Pausing, he stated,
"Sango, I'll come get you when it happens."
"No need," she responded, not being able to keep the tears from her eyes, "I'll be right outside."
The half demon nodded once more in understanding, then entered the hut. What welcomed him was not a pretty sight. The small domicile was warmed with soft lantern light, and everything was as she had always left it. But in the center of the main room, under many layers of blankets, was Kagome. His Kagome. She feebly raised her head off of the futon and gave him a weak smile.
"Hello, Inu Yasha."
He had steeled himself for this moment for a long time. Ever since she had decided to stay in Feudal Japan and become his, he had been mentally preparing himself for this. He had known that this would be a curse to him, and to her. He told himself to be strong, for her sake if nothing else. But now, as he looked upon his great love, he couldn't steel himself against the emotions that were overflowing. He knelt at her side, brushing her gray hair out of her lined face.
"Hello, wench." She managed a delicate grin, and then a hacking cough wracked her body so badly that her slight frame shook in his arms. Inu Yasha's eyes grew wide and panicked, thinking that this was surly it. But Kagome settled down, her breathing more shallow than it had been when he had entered the hut.
The aged miko looked at her mate, her husband, and smiled to herself. His beauty had not faded like her own had. He would forever be her shining star in her haze of pain and suffering.
Three years ago, Kagome had become weak and thin, not wanting to eat or laugh. It was the wasting sickness that sometimes the elderly can get. Inu Yasha tried to make her comfortable, but it was a curse to him to watch her deteriorate, knowing that there was nothing that could be done. Finally, he had called upon his old friends, Miroku and Sango, to see what could be done, but as aged as they were, they could not go in search of a cure. Inu Yasha could not bear to leave his wife in such a state, so the only thing that could be done was to make her happy and hope that everything would be all right.
"Inu Yasha?" The hanyou was drawn out of his thoughts by Kagome's hand upon his. "You must know something." Gazing into a face that had changed so much, but that he loved no less, Inu Yasha listened as if these would be the last sweet words he would ever hear. "There are things that I've done in my life that I'm not proud of. But the one that hurts me the most is standing between you and Kikyou." At the mention of the other's name, he flinched. He couldn't bear to think about Kikyou. Not now, not in this way. "When I'm gone," Kagome continued, "I want you to find her, and be happy."
"NO!" he shouted, hugging her fiercely as tears stung his eyes, "I will never betray you like that! I couldn't…"
"Shhh," the old miko whispered, running her lined fingers through his platinum hair. "I just want to you to be happy."
With a last sigh, Kagome looked into his intense amber eyes and smiled. "Be happy, Inu Yasha."
Standing outside, Sango knew when the moment came, for there was an unearthly howl that pierced the night air. It spoke of all the pain, hurt, and anger that one experiences when they lose the ones they love. Hanging her head, the ex demon slayer cried tears for her friend, and then cried tears for Inu Yasha. For she knew, better than all others, that this was only the beginning of a process. There was a way to get her back. That much she knew. But the way was hard and long, full of peril. Inu Yasha would struggle much. But Sango knew that he would find his way to her again. One way or the other.
Fin
A.N. There's lots more coming, if you like. The song I'm using is called "Who Wants to Live Forever", and it's by Queen.
