Not Even Death
"Youko...," She whispered in a choked voice. "How?"
His golden eyes saddened and Kagome feared the worst. "I died, love." She gasped and cried out, "No! How could this happen? Where was I?!" Youko frowned, his arms encircling her shoulders to rest her head against his chest. "We had a fight," He said. "I... was being unreasonable. You got angry."
"Why won't you stay?" He refused to admit he was pouting. "Stay with me." Kami, he was practically begging.
"Youko," She sighed, exasperated. "I'm just going to re-stock on supplies. I'll be back in a few days." She couldn't see why he was making such a big deal out of this.
He scowled. "If you go; I'm not coming back." Her eyes snapped up, "What?"
"I'll leave." He said. "Youko. I'll be back in a few days!"
"Fine." He turned and walked away. When she looked up to respond he was gone.
"Grrr! Fine! Don't you come back, you stupid Fox!" She huffed away the tears in her eyes and jumped into the well, unaware of the golden eyes swirling with anger and hurt watching.
Kagome looked up at him with tears clinging to her lashes. "It was three days later, around sunset. I'd left for a heist, to spite you, knowing you didn't approve of my stealing," He paused to look down at her with solemn eyes. "The Lord I was stealing from caught me and used some type of tranquilizer on me. I couldn't move, could only see shapes and shadows, and my youki was drained."
His face seemed to be made out of stone as his next words left his mouth, but she could see the pain in his eyes. "I died before I could see you again."
He looked down as she strained against his hold. "Kagome?" She looked up with anxious eyes, "That fight we had was two days ago, I have to go!" He stared at her a long while. "You'll never make it on time." She shook her head, "I'll get Inuyasha to take me. Youko,"
Her small hand wrapped around his clenched fist. "You'll see me this time. I promise." She turned and ran out the door, making her way to the well. Youko watched her from the window of her room. "Be careful, Kagome."
--
Inuyasha looked down at the woman he loved, pained to know that he'd waited too long on choosing her. "Inuyasha," She said in an anxious voice with tears in her lovely blue eyes, "Please! You have to help me." He turned away and she fell to her knee's crying.
A clawed hand was thrust under her nose and she looked up with a, "Huh?"
"Get on." He said in a gruff voice, "I can barely smell it, but I know his stench anywhere."
She smiled and gave a breathless 'Thank you'. Inuyasha didn't care much for the kitsune that stole his Kagome away, but if she was willing to shed precious tears over that bastard, he had to be worth something to her. The hanyou would do anything to bring her smile back. The mid-day sun beat on her back and shined in Inuyasha's hair as Kagome prayed to make in on time.
--
In the darkness of the cell a slumped figured could barely be seen. "Kagome...," A male voice whispered. "Forgive me."
A sudden crash made his silver ears twitch. Light, hurried footsteps making their way to his cell. Perhaps the Lord would let a female have a go at torturing him. Whatever happened, he wouldn't tell that stupid Lord where his stash was. He'd take it to the grave if he had to.
He could just hear another scuffle just outside his cell. It was as if his ears were stuffed with cotton, he could barely hear.
--
Kagome stared down at the groveling rat demon, a scowl on her face and her dagger at his throat. "Give me the key."
The rat demon shuddered at her cold voice, his trembling hands digging into his kimono for the key to Youko's cell.
As he dropped it into her open palm she asked one question, "Did you torture him?" The rat shook his head rapidly. She dug her dagger deeper. The rat gulped as she drew a thin line of blood, and slowly nodded his head. She stepped back and gave a curt nod.
"That's all I needed to know." The rat stared in shock at her retreating back before growling and charging at her foolishly. "Die miko wench!" She turned and stared at him. "You would attack me from behind like a coward?" Her eyes narrowed and she snapped her fingers.
The rat screamed as he was purified from the inside out. "You dared harm what belongs to the Miko of the Shikon no Tama, for that you will die." And he turned to ashes at her feet.
Her glowing lavender eyes faded back into teary blue as she unlocked the cell and gazed, with light from the hallway, onto her beloved. "Youko!" She gasped, "Oh kami... Oh, oh kami! What have they done to you?!" She fell to her knees in front of him, her hands fluttering over wounds dripping steadily with crimson.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on her powers. She would heal him. She had to! He couldn't die on her now! A hysterical sob left her lips as nothing happened. It was as if there was a barrier blocking her from her healing powers. Her eyes flew open and she realized the Shikon no Tama was glowing a dark purple. "You stupid jewel!" She shouted, "I've guarded you for this long, the least you could do is give me this!" A soft groan drew her attention.
"Kag...ome?" She stared into glassy golden eyes. "Youko...," She gave a cry and launched herself at him. "Kagome," He said, her name falling from his lips in a mantra. "You're...real?" She nodded against his chest, not trusting her voice.
A sudden shadow blocked the light and she looked towards the door to find Inuyasha. "Kagome," He said, sniffing the air and giving a fierce frown. "He reeks of poison...," He sniffed again and paused, his mouth set in a grim line.
"Inuyasha?" She whispered. "Is he...?" He shook his head, "He's dying, Kagome." The miko turned her head away and sobbed. "Youko," She whispered. He tugged her closer to him, his nose buried in his hair as he took in her scent. "I want to remember your scent." He said, pulling back to stare in her direction with glassy eyes.
"I can almost see you. Your beautiful raven hair," A clawed hand ran tangled itself in her hair, pulling her closer. "Your eyes," With his other hand he ran his thumb over her eyelids, her eyes closing as fresh tears escaped. "Your skin," The back of his hand brushed against her cheek and she grabbed it with hers, placing a kiss on his knuckles. He pulled his hand away to grip her chin. "And your lips," Kagome sobbed into his mouth as he kissed her, both of the pouring all the emotions they felt into the kiss. Their last kiss.
He pulled back and Kagome gasped for air, "I love you," She cried, raining kisses all over his face. "Please don't leave me!" A clawed finger hushed her. "Kagome, I'm sorry." She shook her head. "No, I shouldn't have left you. It could have waited. It's all my fault!"
"Kagome...," She looked up at him as he rasped, her worry doubling as sweat poured down his face and his body wracked in spasms of coughs. "I...," He coughed and blood coated his palm. "I love you," A wry grin appeared on his face, a trail of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Figures I say it as I'm dying."
Kagome gave no resistance as he pulled her into another hug, his nose in her hair once more. "I love you, too." She whispered. He smiled and seemed to relax against her. "Youko?" Kagome said in a hush voice as his body weight pressed against her. "Youko?"
The miko let out a watery laugh, blinking back tears as she said, "Y...Youko? You'll be okay, right? We'll be together till the end, remember? You said...," She took a deep, shuddering breath. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "You said... you wouldn't abandon me..., no matter what." She didn't see Inuyasha flinch behind her as she said those words. "You said that.... and I believed you. Do you know why? Because you've never lied to me, ever. We-"
Inuyasha's ears flatttened, and he knew he had to tell her. "Kagome? He's... He can't hear you anymore." His friend turned those pained eyes on him and he couldn't outright say it. She looked away and stroked her loves hair. Finally, he forced himself to calm down. "Kagome, stop it. He's dead. You.... can't do anything for him now."
The raven haired youth shook her head and pressed her ear against the kitsune's chest, clearly in denial. She looked up with dead eyes, staring at the wall. "Youko... his heart... s'not beating..." She shook him, lightly at first, before shaking him so hard her whole body shook with him, all the while crying out his name. "Youko? Youko. Youko!"
Inuyasha walked up behind her unnoticed as she panicked. "YOUKO! No! You can't leave me! Wake up! Wake up!" She hunched over him and sobbed. "W...wake up.. Why won't you wake up? You said! ....You said you wouldn't leave me." She stopped completely at her last whisper, laying against Youko's chest as if he were still alive. As if he was still holding her. Inuyasha tried to pull her off of him, only to be zapped by her miko powers as they rose up in her distress. The lavender color of her powers washed over the miko and the kitsune, soothing waves brushing over them.
Inuyasha stared in amazement as the kitsune's injuries disappeared. Even his clothes mended themselves. "Kagome," He whispered.
"Look." The miko looked down, staring with shock and tears as any trace of injury on the kitsune vanished. "Why?" She sobbed, "Why do you heal him now that he's dead?"
--
Kurama looked around the room he found himself in when he regained control of his body. Our body. Youko reminded him. Kurama rolled his eyes and shook his head. "This is her room?" He mused aloud, staring at the dark green walls and plush black carpet.
A small smile formed on his face. "From what you've told me of your miko," He glanced around, finding her room to be impeccably clean, and not a spot of pink in her room. "I expected her room to be filled to the brim with stuffed animals and pink."
Youko gave a deep chuckle through their link. You of all people should know not to assume such, and she's your miko, too.
Kurama staggered as a sudden flurry of images and voices flooded his mind. He hunched over and let out a pained groan as they slowed down, leaving a dull throbbing in the back of his skull. She did it. Youko whispered. I... I can hear her. She's... crying. Oh, Kagome...
Kurama winced as he straightened, his head swimming with images, thoughts, voices, and pounding from the onslaught.
"You..." His eyes widened and he looked up, finding the woman of his dreams, Youko's woman. Our woman. Youko reminded him.
Ours? No. He thought as he looked into eyes that saw him as a stranger. Her cheeks were still stained from tears, he noted. No. She couldn't possibly love them both.
And then he heard that sweet voice. "Are you alright?" He nodded, too stunned to say anything. She frowned, "Good. Now," Hairs on the back of his neck rose and something suddenly screamed danger! "Who are you, and what the heck are you doing in my room?!" He ducked and rolled as projectiles came flying his way. Lamp, book, trashcan, desk chair-Woah! Panties! Youko's comment distracted him as he turned to look, and got a face full of text book. He staggered and fell flat on the floor, dizzy from all the sudden movements.
"Ugh," He groaned. He looked up to see her looming over him, her foot on his chest with him a bow point. He raised his hands in surrender, a sheepish expression on his face.
"I can explain?" Her stance didn't relax, and Kurama knew he was in quite a bit of trouble. Now if only Youko would quit laughing and beaming with pride about his woman long enough to help him out.
Amarioko: Should I continue? I'd love to hear what you guys think! This was going to be a one-shot but I'll continue if you like it.