Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, and the book (idea more like it), The Giving Tree belongs to Shel Silverstein.
Summary: And in the end, the miko was happy. (implied InuKag)
Solace
By: Mizztrapped
There was once a hanyou and a miko, and each day, they'd spend hours and hours together to find the shattered Shikon.
The hanyou allowed the miko to teach him trust, used her to find his heart's desire, and through the miko, for once, knew what friendship really was. And so, the miko began to love her hanyou.
One day, the hanyou came through the Bone's Eater Well, the miko was upset that he had disturbed her, but glad nonetheless to see the hanyou. "Come and I will show you my world," gushed the miko. But the hanyou refused, "Jewel shards are more important."
The miko agreed hesitantly, and followed him through the well into Sengoku Jidai where she kept her promise and helped him battle great demons, and helped him collect the seemingly endless fragments. Though the miko ended up battered and scratched, seeing her hanyou happy with their hard-earned reward made her joyful.
Months passed, and the miko was heartbroken, seeing the hanyou run time after time to a memory that no one but he could remember. But she covered up her relief from seeing him come back with a quick 'Osuwari!'. Even after he abandoned her, the miko bravely came back to her hanyou, "I will stay by your side forever." And because he allowed her, the miko was happy.
Years passed, and the miko was still lonely, waiting alone, although she had the kitsune, the taiyja, the houshi, and the ookami by her side. But seeing her hanyou happy, was enough to make her happy, and if it meant waiting patiently to see her hanyou's happiness, then she would wait forever.
Many seasons came and went, and soon, the miko was tired of waiting. She missed her own era, she missed the baths with bubbles, she missed the convenience of popping left-over dinners in the microwave and she missed her family, and she would often think how life would be if she was waiting for another boy, one who brought her therapeutic sandals and called her Higurashi. But then she remembered the hanyou and she would once again patiently sit back and wait.
Finally, the miko saw her hanyou coming through the light, finally, finally stepping out of the memories that shrouded him like an angry cloud, and with open arms, hoped to intercept the hanyou that she knew and loved.
But the hanyou was no longer the rash, insecure little boy he once was, he was now a man, one that had faced betrayal, pain and anger, a man that had matured from a little boy to an adult, one that no longer kept himself in a tight shell for fear of placing trust in the wrong person, but maybe, maybe he had grown just a little too old, despite his young and beautiful face, and though his head was still held up high and proud, his shoulders were sagging from the weight of his burdens.
And when he came to the miko who continued to wait, wait and wait, she could only look at him, eyes weary and heart weak and softly say.
"I have given you all the jewel shards, I am not longer wanted, Sango, Miroku and Shippou are here for you as friends, I am not longer needed, I have nothing to give you. I am useless."
The hanyou smiled, a sad, weary smile, "I do not need the jewel shards and I do not need someone who is useful. I am so tired, I only want someone to help me carry my burden and love me."
The miko's eyes filled with tears, the last piece of her heart finally piecing together after many, many years of waiting, "I may not have a use any longer, but I do have a heart willing to love someone, and a shoulder to help carry part of a burden. Won't you share your burden with me and allow me into your heart?"
The hanyou held out a hand, smiled, and did just that.
And in the end, the miko was happy.
A/N: I found this writing piece yesterday when I was cleaning my computer out, and I remember writing it when I was half-asleep, cranky and was trying to finish my art assignment of drawing a tree.
I know I should be working on my other fanfics, but I was feeling sad and weepy, so I thought this reflected my feelings...kind of, not really. Anyway, I just wanted to thank those reviewers who reviewed for my other stories and thanks for sticking with me, though I haven't been updating at all.
Hope you all enjoyed this piece, reviews are appreciated, and please, only constructive criticism.