Fallen Warriors
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I do not make money out of writing this story.
A/N: I don't know where this came from. I decided to put it in the InuKag category and not MirSan, because, well... it's revolves around them. I hope it manages to touch you :)
Her feet carried her, steps taken without really thinking.
Sango tried to stifle her sobs. She could feel Miroku's comforting hand on her shoulder, her baby's soothing weight in her arms, but these didn't appease her much now. A year had passed and she still felt as guilty as ever. It didn't help that she and Miroku had created two lives that would somehow carry on their lost friends' names. Everything was so sad.
"Do you think they've admitted their love for each other yet?" the troubled woman asked, tears misting her vision. She couldn't remember anything this painful.
Her husband smiled, a true sign that he had accepted this great loss and now tried to honor the twosome by enjoying life. If only it could be that easy for her, as well… "I hope so. But you know Inuyasha – always a baka."
Suddenly, something snapped within her. An unexpected bubble of laughter erupted inside her chest and made its way outside as she chuckled through her sobs. Yes, indeed, Inuyasha had been oblivious to Kagome's feelings for the most part, and when he had finally understood her love for him, he'd acted so odd – almost scared. Which had been funny at the time and a perfect subject for Miroku to tease about. Looking back now, Inuyasha had most likely been too shy to admit his own feelings for Kagome, which had been so obvious. Even Kagome had known them – she'd told her once at the hot springs.
"Where do you think they are?" Sango asked her husband, watching the sky intently, as if the two fallen warriors would appear from behind a peaceful cloud at any moment.
"Together," Miroku replied simply and Sango nodded, pleased with the answer. At least she had this. She knew, she knew Inuyasha would find Kagome even after death. They were surely together.
A ghost of a smile tugged at Sango's lips as she let a single tear grace her cheek. She felt rather than saw her husband fidget as two almost identical, infant cries pierced the serene field.
Sango placed the little boy on the ground on a blanket and waited for Miroku to do the same with their girl. They were twins. She had been so happy to know that, and with a good reason. It was a sign. It was a clear indication that the Kami had wanted to compensate their loss and brought them two bundles of joy that would fill their lives with bliss. She loved her children as much as she loved their father – there were no words to describe it. They'd named them Inuyasha and Kagome.
Sighing, Sango lowered herself to her knees in front of the two matching graves, tracing the adamant with her hand. Miroku had seen fit to have the graves made out of Inuyasha's lingering adamant from his powerful Tessaiga attack. That way, the hanyou would continue to protect and provide for both him and Kagome in the afterlife, as well. It was awfully fitting.
She watched her husband kneel beside her and hold his hands together in prayer, his eyes closed and his head bent. She copied his movements, letting the wind move her tresses about.
The memory of Inuyasha and Kagome's deaths was still so fresh, but it had been a miracle that they died together, in each other's arms. Even if Sango still felt she was guilty, she was still grateful that neither of the two had been subjected to a death without the other.
"They loved us," Miroku spoke firmly and Sango nodded. "Almost as much as they loved each other."
"No," the woman protested, trusting her fingers to trace Kagome's carved name on the grave, "there is no love to even come close to what they had for each other. Nee, Miroku…"
"What, my love?"
"Do you ever wonder what became of Kikyou?"
The silence was comforting for a moment, and the wind seemed to agree.
"Well, Kagome, of course," Miroku replied with a hidden smile.
Sango chuckled lightly, glad that they understood each other. Yes, it was the way life worked. Kagome was probably destined to be with Inuyasha, no matter what life she had, no matter who she was. They were each other's. Her soul, Kikyou's soul, belonged to Inuyasha's. It was a wonderful, although seemingly aberrant thought. And each time, what was unnatural had to disappear, as was the case with Kikyou's abnormal revival.
"Do you think we'll see them again?" she asked next.
"Probably, even though we might not know it's them."
She didn't find the answer satisfactory enough, but she let it go. It was good enough to know they had died together and that they were together wherever they were. The image of Inuyasha's dismayed, yet love-filled eyes when he embraced his love in the fire that took their lives would forever haunt her, because she didn't know if Kagome returned the look, but she thought she had seen a small flicker of relief in the amber hanyou orbs that made her feel reassured. Kagome must have made him realize she loved him just as much.
It was odd how they never said anything to each other. They would disappear together for hours on end and return as unflustered as they left. Not even Miroku could assume naughty things happened between the twosome. Sango suspected they were both just happy to spend time with each other. After all, at that time they thought there was still so much time for them to cope with their feelings and then admit them out loud.
If only fate hadn't been so cruel… It had been accident that Sango had declared she suddenly wanted to bring Hiraikotsu to an old woman she had heard about in order to strengthen it. It had been pure chance that the others decided to join her. It had been sheer misfortune that a particularly sly demon had crossed their path. Inuyasha, as always, had jumped right in the monster's face, trying to cheat death. But that had been one time too many.
Sango had almost missed Kagome recklessly dashing towards Inuyasha, forgetting her bow and arrows. Then the youkai had started his trap – fire engulfed Inuyasha as Kagome jumped into his arms, trying to free him. Somehow, neither Sango not Miroku were able to move. Somehow, by some ill luck, Inuyasha had seemed unable to jump away from the flames as if he were stuck to the ground. Somehow, his fire rat robe had failed to protect its wearer for the first time.
Miroku had told her afterwards that he'd been able to feel Kagome's purifying aura reach out in an attempt to free themselves, but the only thing she had succeeded was to kill their opponent. The murdered killed the murderer. It was bitter irony, it was tragic.
Two fine warriors had fallen then, on this same field that was now full of flowers and life. Kagome loved flowers. They both loved life.
Were they happy? Kagome and Inuyasha… did they laugh, did they love each other? Were they in a place where nothing could stop them from being together? Did they know they still had friends, that she and Miroku and Shippou and Kaede would never ever forget them?
"They know," Miroku declared suddenly, as if he'd read her mind. Sango merely sighed, reaching out to caress her babies' cheeks.
Her eyes connected with the clouds then – she smiled. "Kagome?" she whispered, "Inuyasha? Can you see? We're living for you. Be happy together." The few tears that fell didn't feel so agonizing anymore – they were tears of healing.
'I think about you,' she thought to herself, 'I think about you two every day and I miss you so much. I'm sorry – sorry for all the things I never got to tell you, sorry for how I practically delivered you to death, I'm… sorry.'
She saw Miroku holding out his hand for her to take and she let him help her to her feet. Next, she bent to retrieve their babies, little Inuyasha and Kagome. She threw a final glance at the graves, smiling to herself. It seemed surreal, but maybe it was for the best. Maybe Kagome and Inuyasha had found a better way to express their love, to live on.
They were dead, but still very much alive.