* * *
Wind Beneath My WingsIn an unknown location, Kikyou stood, alone as always. Her soul-stealers flew around her as her thoughts traveled to the person she currently shared a soul with.
It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face.
Kagome was such a bright, warm person, and Kikyou couldn't understand why. She had no doubt of Kagome's love towards Inuyasha, and yet whenever she appeared, her reincarnation would simply turn her eyes away and allow herself to be forgotten by the hanyou, loving him so greatly that she let him love her past self.
You were content to let me shine, that's your way.
You always walked a step behind.
When Kikyou was around, Kagome faded into the background. In all of her life, everything she'd gone through and everyone she'd met, Kikyou had never seen anyone like her before. Kagome let Kikyou have Inuyasha's attention when she was near. She never complained, and had even gone out of her way to both save Kikyou's life, and to allow Inuyasha to be with her.
She is so compassionate, Kikyou thought. I wonder, is that Kagome's strength?
So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strain.
Kikyou was the one Inuyasha showed affection towards. She was on a pedestal before him, his first love who had died with him and was now alive again in a sense. She was Kikyou who could do no wrong, Kikyou who had died hating him, Kikyou who had tried to kill both himself and Kagome countless times. Kikyou who was no longer the Kikyou he had fallen in love with, and yet with all his naiveté, Inuyasha still loved her. When she appeared, Inuyasha was kind, and was patient. Kikyou had the softer Inuyasha. But when she left, all Kagome had was the unyielding, rough hanyou who called her names and insulted her. Yet even after all of that, Kagome still loved him. It was as though she loved him even more every time he yelled at her, despite her own angry reactions back towards him.
A beautiful face without a name for so long.
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.
When Kagome had first appeared, and Inuyasha had realized she wasn't Kikyou, he had refused to say her name for the longest time. Even now, it was Kikyou first, Kagome second. And yet every time she was hurt, every time Kikyou arrived and Inuyasha ran to her, the moment he returned Kagome had a smile on her face. No matter how broken her heart was, she would smile for him, refusing to let anyone know how much it hurt.
Kikyou wondered what she was doing at that moment.
* * *
Inuyasha was sitting in a tree a short distance from the bone-eaters well, impatiently awaiting Kagome's arrival. She's late, he thought.
It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
but I've got it all here in my heart.
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.
Thinking about her, Inuyasha felt that strange twinge of affection mixed with guilt that he always felt when Kagome was in his thoughts. Despite what others thought, he was not stupid. Inuyasha knew Kagome's feelings towards him, and knew how hard it was for her to simply turn her eyes when Kikyou arrived and he went to her. Every time she had ever looked away, every time she had told him to go to Kikyou, was stored in his memory. Inuyasha was no fool – he knew.
I would be nothing without you.
Kagome was his strength. Without her, Inuyasha couldn't fight with his full strength. Without her, he felt as though a piece of him was missing, and that empty, lonely feeling would remain until she returned to him. She made him whole, made him strong, even after he broke her heart.
I wonder what Kagome's strength is, he thought, not knowing that his thoughts were the same thoughts Kikyou was thinking at that moment.
Her scent appeared, and her yellow backpack was hefted over the side of the well, followed shortly by Kagome herself. Inuyasha began to walk towards her, and seeing him, her bright smile appeared instantly.
"Come on, Kagome," he said, kneeling so she could climb onto his back. As he took to the trees, he thought, I wonder what she's thinking?
Kagome sighed happily as they flew through the trees, holding his shoulders tightly as she looked at the back of his head.
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
How many times had he protected her? Kagome couldn't remember. Inuyasha was so strong, so powerful; he always took care of her. Every time he jumped between her and danger, she loved him more, knowing that despite how much he loved Kikyou, he obviously must have cared about her a little.
You're everything I wish I could be.
How Kagome wished she could be as strong as Inuyasha. He wasn't afraid to tell the girl he loved that he loved her. He wasn't afraid to be sweet to Kikyou. And every time Kikyou appeared, Kagome drew on his strength, and that made her strong. Loving Inuyasha made her strong. Kagome knew Inuyasha loved Kikyou, and no longer fantasized about him returning her own love. She would stay with him no matter who he loved, because she loved him, and wanted him to be happy, even if it wasn't with her.
I could fly higher than an eagle,
"Kagome," Inuyasha said over his shoulder. "Wanna go faster?"
"You can go as fast as you want," she replied cheerfully, gripping his shoulders tighter. "I like it when you run fast."
"Hang on!"
Pushing off, Inuyasha leapt up into the air, and Kagome felt for a moment as though she were flying. I can fly, as long as I'm with Inuyasha, she thought. I can do anything with him.
You are the wind beneath my wings.
* * *
A/N – This is my first songfic, and hopefully it was alright. I tried to keep the mood of it light; think of this little story as my apology for making everyone cry in "You Changed My World".