Author's Notes: Most of you are torn at whether I'll make this reunion
sad or happy…Well, you'll find out soon enough, ne?
Disclaimer: I made Kagome die…you think I'd ever have the chance to own it? Also, the lyrics I used for the opening is from "I'll Remember You" by No Secrets. Beautiful song…but I don't own that either.
Behind the Masquerade
Unexpected (sorry…there are no X words. Just think of the eX.)
It has been so long since we have talked
I hope that things are still the same
Hoping they will never change
'Cause what we had can't be replaced
Don't let our memories fade away
Keep me in your heart for always
"How are you?" she asked dryly, watching the girl sit on the edge of her bed. She was looking down at the ground, her eyes dull in their normal bright sapphire color. Kagura lifted an eyebrow as she stared at the bundle of lifelessness.
"Horrible…" she finally whispered, her hands moving to her lap and clenching the plain kimono the wind demon had made her wear.
"Physically or mentally?"
"…Physically," she half lied.
During the last five days, Kagura had looked after Kagome, with Kanna coming in once in a while with food. The princess hadn't even walked out of the room once, preferring to stay isolated in that single, dank place. Of course, Kagura had grown a tad bit nicer, and the two had talked a bit during the times the wind demon healed Kagome. But there was always that single knowledge that Naraku was secretly watching that made them only converse about random things.
"Don't tell me your injuries aren't healed."
"They're fine. It just aches and stings a bit once in a while."
Kagura narrowed her crimson orbs, before handing over a drab blanket to the younger girl. Kagome looked up slowly, her eyes questioning as she took the covers lightly, pulling it into her lap.
"I have to take you back now," she explained stiffly, holding out the green kimono Kagome had been dressed in when she arrived. "It's raining again."
It's been raining, Kagome thought miserably, pushing herself off the bed gently and shuffling sluggishly over to the demon. Okay, so maybe she wasn't lying that much when she said she felt physically horrible. Her body didn't just ache and sting…it also throbbed with an annoying beat. The wound around her stomach hadn't completely healed and all the energy in her body never seemed to come back, even if she had done nothing but eat and rest the last five days.
She carefully slipped the thin kimono off of her body as Kagura looked away, putting on the simple green kimono she had always been fond of. It took her a couple of good minutes to slowly put the thing on and tie the obi around her waist, but she eventually finished with only a few difficulties.
Kagura saw that she was done, and turned towards the door, walking out. Kagome sighed a bit, before following the demon without even looking back into the room she had spent the last five days of her life. There hadn't been any warm memories.
"Kagura? …Going?" a childish monotone voice drifted from behind the corridor Kagome and Kagura were slowly making their way down. The tall demon turned around to see her older sister, her face as expressionless as ever and her hands holding her mirror.
"Yea. The girl's fine now," she informed, motioning with a graceful flick of her hand over to Kagome, who wasn't the least bit excited. Then as if wondering why the girl would come to ask such a question, she said, "What do you want, Kanna?"
The girl almost glided down the corridors, her eyes as mysterious as ever as she stopped behind Kagome, with the princess in between the two. "Naraku told me to tell Kagome she still needs to go retrieve the Shikon no Tama by her 21st moon of staying at the Komiyas…That gives her five days."
The only response Kanna got from Kagome was some movement in her eyes, as she bit her lower lip slightly. She turned to glare slightly at the demon, her voice lethal when she hissed, "Tell him I won't forget…"
Kagura watched the exchange motionlessly, having taken her fan out to brush slow, lazy swipes of air as she listened. It seemed Naraku was getting a bit desperate if he was only giving the girl five days when she was still injured. But then again, perhaps he's just heartless that way? "Done, Kanna?" she inquired as she snapped the fan shut again, hiding it in the long sleeves of her kimono.
"Yes…" she answered her younger sister in a quiet tone, already gliding back down the corridor. However, she turned to give Kagura one last glimpse, her eyes showing a troubling emotion for once. She seemed to want to say something, but Kagura couldn't understand what, so she stopped trying.
"Ready, girl?" she drawled indolently, progressing up the corridor with Kagome tagging along slowly behind.
"…No," Kagome answered as she passed a room, its door creaking open slowly, as if inviting her in. She shuddered at the mere thought of what could be on the other side. "I don't think I'm ready," she added, allowing her gaze to trail back to the ground.
Kagura snickered, although the sound was hollow and wry. "Naraku isn't giving you much of a choice…he has a hold on your life, darling."
"He also has a finger on yours as well," Kagome pointed out as they descended down the flights of stairs that would lead them to the hallway downstairs. She held onto the icy rails as support, knowing that if she didn't, her knees would buckle and she would tumble down the stairs, dying again. And although that would seem so simple, she wasn't about to try dying once more. She still had too many things she needed to put an end to…too many people she had to see again.
"Welcome to my world, then," Kagura declared, shooting Kagome an amused expression. "Are you finally understanding the truth behind the lies?"
Kagome gazed, not comprehending what the wind demon was asking. The truth behind the lies…? "What?"
Kagura scoffed a bit as they got off the stairs, walking over to the front door. "Anyone can sugarcoat the truth and pretend it's something it's not. Things are never what they seem and around every corner, someone is living through a façade." They stopped at the opening, with Kagome watching the rain patter down heavily on the concrete steps. She felt the relentless wind blow through her clothing and although she felt the shudder run through her body, she also felt strangely immune to it. Her heart felt empty.
"Is this the truth behind my lies then?" Kagome asked, referring to everything she was doing that she didn't want to.
"Girl…" Kagura began as she pulled a feather out of her hair, transforming it into her larger flying one. She got in the front of the means of transportation and pointedly looked at Kagome, patting the spot behind her. When Kagome had managed to scramble on with some discomfort, she continued. "In life, its either betray or be betrayed. That's the truth behind every lie." Kagura chuckled slowly as Kagome put the blanket over her head, the feather slowly levitating into the air. "And to lie is to betray."
Kagome was quiet, the words the wind demon was telling her slowly sinking into her mind. She knew she was lying…she knew she was betraying. However, could she stop herself from lying and tell everybody she didn't want to do this? There was only one thing she didn't think Naraku's crony could understand.
She lied, she betrayed, only because she cared…too much.
And that, by far, was the most torturing of all betrayals.
~*~
She crept along the gardens, pushing aside random flowers and shrubs. Her heart was pounding in her chest, reminding her horribly of what she was trying to do. Her feet trailed along the ground, as silent as a mouse, due to years of professional training. Her sharp eyes picked him out against the trunk of the cherry tree, the rain falling all around him like dark, impending slices of water.
She could feel the droplets dripping down between her forehead, and a bittersweet smile enlightened upon her face. She had avoided him five days, thinking the entire time. His words had made sense when she ran it through her mind at least fifty times. But, she couldn't agree to them. They were his point of view…his opinions…so it didn't mean they had to be the truth. But…she could try?
She had known it would be there. He had been sitting there for long periods of time for the last five days after all. She could see him from her room, as he rested against the bark and stared off into the distance. She had wondered what he was thinking about…was it her? And yet, she didn't know why she secretly wanted him to be as well. Or maybe she did, and didn't want to comprehend.
"Miroku," Sango managed to say---his name, because she understood how it felt to be called upon using a title---although she felt her voice stutter half way. She watched his dark shadow look up, his violet eyes piercing her through the chilly night rain. It sent an anticipating shudder through her body, as she felt her feet automatically walk itself towards him. "Miroku…" she whispered again, her voice as soft as silk fluttering in the breeze, as she stopped right in front of him, just under the shelter of the tree.
She noticed that the floor was a bit damp, but he sat on the root of the tree that jutted out. Her hands trembled against her side and she willed it to stop, not wanting him to see just how much it took for her to be so close to him after the harsh words they had exchanged the other day. But, she was sure her eyes reflected everything…everything…
"Sango," he muttered in a voice that signaled acknowledgement, his eyes never leaving hers. He looked calm in fact, his eyes a steely sort of violet.
"I…I…" she whispered, her mind already becoming a jumble as she stared down at him, feeling the rain water drip off her long hair and wet her clothes even more than it already was. "I…wanted to talk to you," she forced out of herself, taking in a deep breath after she said that.
"Really."
It was like a sting, a cut, a pierce right into the center of her heart. And it was only because of that single word with the most indifferent voice she had ever heard from him. "R-Really…" she shuddered out, mentally slapping herself for losing so many of her nerves.
They stared at each other for a moment, one unwilling to look away and the other entranced by the first. The rain roared around them, blurring into the background, as she felt her whole soul consumed by his eyes. They were…beautiful.
He patted the seat next to him, successfully breaking the spell, and although she hesitated because of his lechery, the serious look he had in his eyes coerced her to sit down without argument. Awkward would be an understatement, but she willed herself to keep her body next to the warmth that was Miroku. She had to talk to him.
"I thought a lot about what you told me the other day," she announced as she gazed off like he was doing, just watching the droplets fall down from the heavens.
"And…?" he asked, the first hint of doubt leaking into his voice.
"…I tried to understand what you said and why I denied it. Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong," she whispered, closing her eyes a bit. "Maybe you're right about me being afraid. I wouldn't know." She knew she was lying. She knew…
He turned to look at her calm face, her lips set into a thin line as she refused to open her eyes. He watched the water droplets slide down her soft hair, making bundles of wet tresses tumble over her shoulders. She was shuddering---he noticed it easily---and he knew she was cold. "And maybe I know," he countered quietly.
"What makes you think you would know? How could someone like you know?" she whispered back, her hands clenching by her side as she opened her eyes suddenly when she felt him tug her fingers apart, intertwining his warm ones with hers. It sent a warm shudder running through her body as she stared at their hands clasped together, his warmth seeping up her arm.
A side of his lips turned up, in something almost mocking. "You want to know why I'd know…?" he challenged in a hiss, clutching onto her hand harder, as if afraid to let go. She could feel a pull in her chest area as their eyes made contact, holding her in that unfathomable spell once more.
"Because I've seen love gained and love lost all around me…I've seen the people closest to me submit themselves to guilt. I see the fear in their eyes---afraid to love, because it would hurt." He leaned towards her, and although her heart pounded like a drum beat, he only placed his forehead against hers. The words he was trying to tell her were beginning to enter her mind, although she could only understand slightly---the close distance between them was more of a concern.
"Sango, I want to ask you something," he whispered huskily, as she felt his breath brush her lips. They were so close…so near. All she had to do was lean forward…No…don't come any closer…please… she felt her mind plead, but nothing came out of her mouth. His presence was causing her to stay mute.
"I've known you for what seems like forever. You're not the type of girl I would usually like…you're violent." He chuckled, yet she could only stare dumbly at him. "But that's what makes you special. When you're near, it hurts me too. But I won't give up on you, Sango. I just won't…"
He lightly grabbed her other hand, bringing both of them into his lap as he muttered the next words in the faintest of whispers, "And I'm willing to spend the rest of my life with you…" With so many kids I'll forget their names, he thought dryly, even in such a serious situation. But that was to be expected…
He smiled almost sadly as he clenched her hands hard, hoping they wouldn't slip away any further.
"And when you're ready to spend the rest of your life with me…then…marry me?"
Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt him close the distance between them, their lips meeting in what seemed like the most innocent of kisses, which she thought would never come from such a pervert. It was so simple, their lips touching together, him holding onto her hand, and her with her heart beating almost painfully against her rib cage, as if threatening to burst out.
It was as sweet as nectar, as beautiful as a flower blooming in a spring sprinkle, yet filled with a request to an answer she thought she would never have wanted to hear or answer to. However, coming from him, the man she had been both aggravated and abashed with, it seemed like the most natural of all questions she had been asked.
Miroku…
She laced her fingers with his again, and pressed back, forcing her lips to mash against his more firmly. The rain that had been roaring in her ears melted into the simple background she had caused for herself, as she concentrated on that single tingling rushing through her body, filling every part of her with this memory. And she realized in that one single moment, he had been right. He, for once, had been right. She hadn't known what exactly terrified her about him, but she finally understood. She had been terrified of this feeling and reaction he could gain from her because it was addictive. The way he made her feel wanted was addictive, and she had been terrified that he would leave her alone with a yearning for more.
She knew her answer. There couldn't be another one, and although she needed time to think about it, she could, safely and confidentially, tell herself the truth.
Her eyes fluttered shut, as a single tear, silvery against the backdrop of rain, dripped silently down her cheek, splattering unknowingly onto Miroku's hand.
Yes.
~*~
The waves crashed against the rocks that jutted out of the Secret Place, throwing water droplets into the air as it blended with the rain. The ocean was rough and furious, a roaring mix of angry black against the calamitous background. He could see the waves thundering around in their playground, trying to find a victim to ram into. He should have been back at the castle, but it was too suppressive in his own home.
So, he had decided to come to the one place he knew no one would ever hope to find him. He wanted to forget, but he could imagine small scenes of her death every time he thought of nothing, and that was horrifying. He would get over it eventually, but he knew this time, it would have to be much longer than Ikari's. Ikari had never died after all, or at least he didn't think so.
"Fucking wolves!" he suddenly snarled, punching his fists into the rocky wall next to him. It crumbled under his knuckles, pieces of it falling like large chunks of gray. "You fucking assholes!" he growled, retracting his hand before punching it into the same spot, causing the small hole to grow larger. "You'll fucking pay for this, you low bastard scum!"
He struck the wall a third time, noticing the red marks he was leaving in the sandy and pebbly side of the cave. He withdrew his fists as he fell to the ground on his rear, watching the red thick liquid trickle down his long claws before dripping off the tip of his fingers. He felt the pain, but wondered how it must have been for Kagome to have felt pain like this one hundred times more excruciating. "Why…?" he whispered, his voice nearly cracking. "Why does everyone I care about get taken away from me…" He laid his injured hand down on the ground next to him, allowing the blood to stain the floor beneath him. "God damnit! Whatever bastards are listening! Why don't you tell me WHY!?"
A smash of a wave against the cliff was his answer, and he felt himself heaving from the strain he was using to just yell. He couldn't understand 'why' and all he asked for was an answer…why didn't someone just explain to him?
He fell backwards, laying sprawled on the ground as he stared at the ceiling. Different and random thoughts began to invade his mind.
I love the ocean…
It's so peaceful…so calming…so soothing to my heart…and it's…so…well…beautiful.
Where had he heard that before? He knew Kagome loved it---she loved it a lot---but he vaguely remembered those words from someone else. He couldn't figure out why he was thinking about it at a time like this, but maybe because that person had loved the ocean just as much as Kagome had?
This isn't exactly my kingdom, you know?! I'm only here for you.
He remembered her saying that during an argument back when he had first met her and they had frustrated each other. He knew she hadn't meant "I'm only here for you" in the way he kind of wanted it to mean, but he also knew it was too late to tell her he wished for it to mean that way.
"I even miss your voice, you…" he trailed off when he caught a scent of something. His eyes widened. Digging his claws into the ground and causing cuts in the rocks, he could feel his heart thumping hard. Was it---may it---is it---could it possibly be his imagination, or was he really sensing her?
"Kagome…" he whispered breathlessly as he pushed himself off the ground with his injured hand, which had already begun to heal due to the blood running through his veins. He forgot that though.
Rushing back through the vines of blue and pink flowers, he dashed down the steps towards the outside. No, it couldn't possibly be her scent. But yes, it was definitely her that his nose was picking up. It was her.
He didn't even notice as he waded out into the water, the icy cold waters covering up to his chest due to the high waves in the rain. The water pounded down relentlessly upon his hair as he struggled to the shore, being pushed occasionally by a strong current. Through the suffocating air, he could pick out the distinct scent that was hers, and hers alone.
Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was this real? Was she back? Why?
Rushing back up the coast, the rain getting into his eyes as he wiped it away furiously, he noticed her scent only got stronger. Perhaps he had finally snapped and went crazy? He doubted it, but how could one he had watched die be up the coast?
"What is happening…" he muttered, kicking sand behind him as he hurried towards his castle, seeing the gigantic structure through the rain soon enough. He stopped, putting his nose into the air and sniffing the air. It was definitely there. Her scent was definitely there. And it was almost certainly mixed with the scent of the thing she and he had encountered up on the cliff a while ago. But...why?
Traveling towards his home, his sleeves billowing in the air as he started leaping, Inuyasha squinted and his bright, golden eyes picked up something far off into the distant, something levitating in the air. It was only a blob, but he could see another blob being detached from the bigger blob. He strained to even try and hear that far, but only the howl of the wind replied swiftly.
"It's you," he said in a voice that almost seemed sure that he was right, his sight trained on that single blob on the coast as the bigger one flew off. He could tell that scent from the larger one was definitely from the demon on top of the cliff, yet, the one on the beach…it was hers. It was unquestionably Kagome's.
It only took a matter of a few minutes before he got to that person, who had their back turned to him. A blanket covered them from head to knees, but when he looked down, he saw it. It was her kimono; it was the kimono she had worn the day people had pushed her off to sea.
He could feel his hardened core melt as he watched her walk up the coast, towards the castle that was his home. He wanted to call out to her, he wanted to do something, but all he could do was stand there in the sand, staring at the person. The faint smell of blood and some sort of medicine could be smelt, but predominant over anything else was her scent. The pure, sweet scent of Kagome.
She stopped walking, as if sensing him behind her.
He could feel himself holding his breath as she slowly turned around, the first glimpses of strands of black hair appearing out of the blanket. It felt so overwhelming, it almost made him want to blow off with the wind. It was a horrible feeling, but the most anticipating emotion he had ever felt in his life.
Blue clashed with gold in a single glance, an overpowering feeling grabbing a hold of Inuyasha's heart and twisting it. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't talk, he couldn't even move as he glanced into the familiar eyes of the girl he had thought he had lost.
"…Inuyasha…?" she whispered timidly, her sapphire orbs widening in a mixture of surprise, joy, suspicion and something akin to terror. She lifted a hand up over her mouth as she began to breathe harder, her eyes trained on the hanyou. "Is it you…"
She took a step forward, her other hand coming up to clench into a fist over her chest. Her eyebrows slanted down in apprehension, as she continued taking small, weak steps towards him, the blanket fluttering from her body and blowing a good distance away. She didn't seem to notice though, as water streaked down her hair and face, the droplets dripping incessantly.
He watched her, the kimono clinging to her body as she got soaked deeper. Her eyes never left his---not for a single moment---and he couldn't break the enchantment either. She was here. She was alive. She was staring right back at him like a lost lamb. "Kagome…" A feeble smile appeared on his lips as he loosened his hands from where he had kept it as fists by his side. He let out a long, shuddering sigh.
"You came back."
Those words seemed to be the knife that cut open her wounds, and the small distance from where they were apart was rapidly being closed into as she ran towards him, her eyes already watering. She said she didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help it, and she wasn't sure if she could stop it. "Inuyasha!" she almost screamed in hysterics, biting her lower lip as she flung herself into his open arms, ignoring the sting it made run through her body. That didn't matter at all.
"I'm so sorry! God, I'm so sorry!" she cried uncontrollably, stuffing her face into the material of his haori, her chest heaving as she tried to make sense of everything that seemed so wrong. Her arms circled under his arm, clutching desperately onto the one support that made sense to her. Nothing else did but him.
He still couldn't make too many coherent sentences up, as he was engulfed in the heat that was Kagome---the one thing he had thought he had lost and was now standing here embracing him. He clenched his teeth hard from being overwhelmed by the sudden onrush of emotions, and he slowly slipped his arms around her petite form, holding her more protectively against himself and almost shielding her from the rain.
"I don't know what to say. I-I can't say anything…I want to cry. Oh lord, I-I think I want to cry," she rambled into his clothing, forcing herself against him as close as she could, as if to meld into one with the hanyou. Betrayal, lies, trust, truth, or any of that didn't matter right now. All she could really comprehend was that he had been here…he had found her.
There was silence from Inuyasha for a while, before an almost strained voice mumbled, "…Then cry…I'll be here for you."
Those words reached her ears, repeating themselves like a mantra as she felt the eruption slowly grow, starting from her chest. She was right, she couldn't control it. It was too much. It was much too overpowering for her to oppress.
Inuyasha held Kagome even closer as the first muffled cry tore sharply from her throat.
Author's Notes: Well, there you have it. It's up to you to decide whether that's a happy or sad reunion…although I'll personally say it's happy. You don't even want to know sad. ^__~
And ooh lala…Sango has mentally agreed to Miroku's marriage. I guess you could say it's two goodies for the price of one? Review!
Disclaimer: I made Kagome die…you think I'd ever have the chance to own it? Also, the lyrics I used for the opening is from "I'll Remember You" by No Secrets. Beautiful song…but I don't own that either.
Behind the Masquerade
Unexpected (sorry…there are no X words. Just think of the eX.)
It has been so long since we have talked
I hope that things are still the same
Hoping they will never change
'Cause what we had can't be replaced
Don't let our memories fade away
Keep me in your heart for always
"How are you?" she asked dryly, watching the girl sit on the edge of her bed. She was looking down at the ground, her eyes dull in their normal bright sapphire color. Kagura lifted an eyebrow as she stared at the bundle of lifelessness.
"Horrible…" she finally whispered, her hands moving to her lap and clenching the plain kimono the wind demon had made her wear.
"Physically or mentally?"
"…Physically," she half lied.
During the last five days, Kagura had looked after Kagome, with Kanna coming in once in a while with food. The princess hadn't even walked out of the room once, preferring to stay isolated in that single, dank place. Of course, Kagura had grown a tad bit nicer, and the two had talked a bit during the times the wind demon healed Kagome. But there was always that single knowledge that Naraku was secretly watching that made them only converse about random things.
"Don't tell me your injuries aren't healed."
"They're fine. It just aches and stings a bit once in a while."
Kagura narrowed her crimson orbs, before handing over a drab blanket to the younger girl. Kagome looked up slowly, her eyes questioning as she took the covers lightly, pulling it into her lap.
"I have to take you back now," she explained stiffly, holding out the green kimono Kagome had been dressed in when she arrived. "It's raining again."
It's been raining, Kagome thought miserably, pushing herself off the bed gently and shuffling sluggishly over to the demon. Okay, so maybe she wasn't lying that much when she said she felt physically horrible. Her body didn't just ache and sting…it also throbbed with an annoying beat. The wound around her stomach hadn't completely healed and all the energy in her body never seemed to come back, even if she had done nothing but eat and rest the last five days.
She carefully slipped the thin kimono off of her body as Kagura looked away, putting on the simple green kimono she had always been fond of. It took her a couple of good minutes to slowly put the thing on and tie the obi around her waist, but she eventually finished with only a few difficulties.
Kagura saw that she was done, and turned towards the door, walking out. Kagome sighed a bit, before following the demon without even looking back into the room she had spent the last five days of her life. There hadn't been any warm memories.
"Kagura? …Going?" a childish monotone voice drifted from behind the corridor Kagome and Kagura were slowly making their way down. The tall demon turned around to see her older sister, her face as expressionless as ever and her hands holding her mirror.
"Yea. The girl's fine now," she informed, motioning with a graceful flick of her hand over to Kagome, who wasn't the least bit excited. Then as if wondering why the girl would come to ask such a question, she said, "What do you want, Kanna?"
The girl almost glided down the corridors, her eyes as mysterious as ever as she stopped behind Kagome, with the princess in between the two. "Naraku told me to tell Kagome she still needs to go retrieve the Shikon no Tama by her 21st moon of staying at the Komiyas…That gives her five days."
The only response Kanna got from Kagome was some movement in her eyes, as she bit her lower lip slightly. She turned to glare slightly at the demon, her voice lethal when she hissed, "Tell him I won't forget…"
Kagura watched the exchange motionlessly, having taken her fan out to brush slow, lazy swipes of air as she listened. It seemed Naraku was getting a bit desperate if he was only giving the girl five days when she was still injured. But then again, perhaps he's just heartless that way? "Done, Kanna?" she inquired as she snapped the fan shut again, hiding it in the long sleeves of her kimono.
"Yes…" she answered her younger sister in a quiet tone, already gliding back down the corridor. However, she turned to give Kagura one last glimpse, her eyes showing a troubling emotion for once. She seemed to want to say something, but Kagura couldn't understand what, so she stopped trying.
"Ready, girl?" she drawled indolently, progressing up the corridor with Kagome tagging along slowly behind.
"…No," Kagome answered as she passed a room, its door creaking open slowly, as if inviting her in. She shuddered at the mere thought of what could be on the other side. "I don't think I'm ready," she added, allowing her gaze to trail back to the ground.
Kagura snickered, although the sound was hollow and wry. "Naraku isn't giving you much of a choice…he has a hold on your life, darling."
"He also has a finger on yours as well," Kagome pointed out as they descended down the flights of stairs that would lead them to the hallway downstairs. She held onto the icy rails as support, knowing that if she didn't, her knees would buckle and she would tumble down the stairs, dying again. And although that would seem so simple, she wasn't about to try dying once more. She still had too many things she needed to put an end to…too many people she had to see again.
"Welcome to my world, then," Kagura declared, shooting Kagome an amused expression. "Are you finally understanding the truth behind the lies?"
Kagome gazed, not comprehending what the wind demon was asking. The truth behind the lies…? "What?"
Kagura scoffed a bit as they got off the stairs, walking over to the front door. "Anyone can sugarcoat the truth and pretend it's something it's not. Things are never what they seem and around every corner, someone is living through a façade." They stopped at the opening, with Kagome watching the rain patter down heavily on the concrete steps. She felt the relentless wind blow through her clothing and although she felt the shudder run through her body, she also felt strangely immune to it. Her heart felt empty.
"Is this the truth behind my lies then?" Kagome asked, referring to everything she was doing that she didn't want to.
"Girl…" Kagura began as she pulled a feather out of her hair, transforming it into her larger flying one. She got in the front of the means of transportation and pointedly looked at Kagome, patting the spot behind her. When Kagome had managed to scramble on with some discomfort, she continued. "In life, its either betray or be betrayed. That's the truth behind every lie." Kagura chuckled slowly as Kagome put the blanket over her head, the feather slowly levitating into the air. "And to lie is to betray."
Kagome was quiet, the words the wind demon was telling her slowly sinking into her mind. She knew she was lying…she knew she was betraying. However, could she stop herself from lying and tell everybody she didn't want to do this? There was only one thing she didn't think Naraku's crony could understand.
She lied, she betrayed, only because she cared…too much.
And that, by far, was the most torturing of all betrayals.
~*~
She crept along the gardens, pushing aside random flowers and shrubs. Her heart was pounding in her chest, reminding her horribly of what she was trying to do. Her feet trailed along the ground, as silent as a mouse, due to years of professional training. Her sharp eyes picked him out against the trunk of the cherry tree, the rain falling all around him like dark, impending slices of water.
She could feel the droplets dripping down between her forehead, and a bittersweet smile enlightened upon her face. She had avoided him five days, thinking the entire time. His words had made sense when she ran it through her mind at least fifty times. But, she couldn't agree to them. They were his point of view…his opinions…so it didn't mean they had to be the truth. But…she could try?
She had known it would be there. He had been sitting there for long periods of time for the last five days after all. She could see him from her room, as he rested against the bark and stared off into the distance. She had wondered what he was thinking about…was it her? And yet, she didn't know why she secretly wanted him to be as well. Or maybe she did, and didn't want to comprehend.
"Miroku," Sango managed to say---his name, because she understood how it felt to be called upon using a title---although she felt her voice stutter half way. She watched his dark shadow look up, his violet eyes piercing her through the chilly night rain. It sent an anticipating shudder through her body, as she felt her feet automatically walk itself towards him. "Miroku…" she whispered again, her voice as soft as silk fluttering in the breeze, as she stopped right in front of him, just under the shelter of the tree.
She noticed that the floor was a bit damp, but he sat on the root of the tree that jutted out. Her hands trembled against her side and she willed it to stop, not wanting him to see just how much it took for her to be so close to him after the harsh words they had exchanged the other day. But, she was sure her eyes reflected everything…everything…
"Sango," he muttered in a voice that signaled acknowledgement, his eyes never leaving hers. He looked calm in fact, his eyes a steely sort of violet.
"I…I…" she whispered, her mind already becoming a jumble as she stared down at him, feeling the rain water drip off her long hair and wet her clothes even more than it already was. "I…wanted to talk to you," she forced out of herself, taking in a deep breath after she said that.
"Really."
It was like a sting, a cut, a pierce right into the center of her heart. And it was only because of that single word with the most indifferent voice she had ever heard from him. "R-Really…" she shuddered out, mentally slapping herself for losing so many of her nerves.
They stared at each other for a moment, one unwilling to look away and the other entranced by the first. The rain roared around them, blurring into the background, as she felt her whole soul consumed by his eyes. They were…beautiful.
He patted the seat next to him, successfully breaking the spell, and although she hesitated because of his lechery, the serious look he had in his eyes coerced her to sit down without argument. Awkward would be an understatement, but she willed herself to keep her body next to the warmth that was Miroku. She had to talk to him.
"I thought a lot about what you told me the other day," she announced as she gazed off like he was doing, just watching the droplets fall down from the heavens.
"And…?" he asked, the first hint of doubt leaking into his voice.
"…I tried to understand what you said and why I denied it. Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong," she whispered, closing her eyes a bit. "Maybe you're right about me being afraid. I wouldn't know." She knew she was lying. She knew…
He turned to look at her calm face, her lips set into a thin line as she refused to open her eyes. He watched the water droplets slide down her soft hair, making bundles of wet tresses tumble over her shoulders. She was shuddering---he noticed it easily---and he knew she was cold. "And maybe I know," he countered quietly.
"What makes you think you would know? How could someone like you know?" she whispered back, her hands clenching by her side as she opened her eyes suddenly when she felt him tug her fingers apart, intertwining his warm ones with hers. It sent a warm shudder running through her body as she stared at their hands clasped together, his warmth seeping up her arm.
A side of his lips turned up, in something almost mocking. "You want to know why I'd know…?" he challenged in a hiss, clutching onto her hand harder, as if afraid to let go. She could feel a pull in her chest area as their eyes made contact, holding her in that unfathomable spell once more.
"Because I've seen love gained and love lost all around me…I've seen the people closest to me submit themselves to guilt. I see the fear in their eyes---afraid to love, because it would hurt." He leaned towards her, and although her heart pounded like a drum beat, he only placed his forehead against hers. The words he was trying to tell her were beginning to enter her mind, although she could only understand slightly---the close distance between them was more of a concern.
"Sango, I want to ask you something," he whispered huskily, as she felt his breath brush her lips. They were so close…so near. All she had to do was lean forward…No…don't come any closer…please… she felt her mind plead, but nothing came out of her mouth. His presence was causing her to stay mute.
"I've known you for what seems like forever. You're not the type of girl I would usually like…you're violent." He chuckled, yet she could only stare dumbly at him. "But that's what makes you special. When you're near, it hurts me too. But I won't give up on you, Sango. I just won't…"
He lightly grabbed her other hand, bringing both of them into his lap as he muttered the next words in the faintest of whispers, "And I'm willing to spend the rest of my life with you…" With so many kids I'll forget their names, he thought dryly, even in such a serious situation. But that was to be expected…
He smiled almost sadly as he clenched her hands hard, hoping they wouldn't slip away any further.
"And when you're ready to spend the rest of your life with me…then…marry me?"
Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt him close the distance between them, their lips meeting in what seemed like the most innocent of kisses, which she thought would never come from such a pervert. It was so simple, their lips touching together, him holding onto her hand, and her with her heart beating almost painfully against her rib cage, as if threatening to burst out.
It was as sweet as nectar, as beautiful as a flower blooming in a spring sprinkle, yet filled with a request to an answer she thought she would never have wanted to hear or answer to. However, coming from him, the man she had been both aggravated and abashed with, it seemed like the most natural of all questions she had been asked.
Miroku…
She laced her fingers with his again, and pressed back, forcing her lips to mash against his more firmly. The rain that had been roaring in her ears melted into the simple background she had caused for herself, as she concentrated on that single tingling rushing through her body, filling every part of her with this memory. And she realized in that one single moment, he had been right. He, for once, had been right. She hadn't known what exactly terrified her about him, but she finally understood. She had been terrified of this feeling and reaction he could gain from her because it was addictive. The way he made her feel wanted was addictive, and she had been terrified that he would leave her alone with a yearning for more.
She knew her answer. There couldn't be another one, and although she needed time to think about it, she could, safely and confidentially, tell herself the truth.
Her eyes fluttered shut, as a single tear, silvery against the backdrop of rain, dripped silently down her cheek, splattering unknowingly onto Miroku's hand.
Yes.
~*~
The waves crashed against the rocks that jutted out of the Secret Place, throwing water droplets into the air as it blended with the rain. The ocean was rough and furious, a roaring mix of angry black against the calamitous background. He could see the waves thundering around in their playground, trying to find a victim to ram into. He should have been back at the castle, but it was too suppressive in his own home.
So, he had decided to come to the one place he knew no one would ever hope to find him. He wanted to forget, but he could imagine small scenes of her death every time he thought of nothing, and that was horrifying. He would get over it eventually, but he knew this time, it would have to be much longer than Ikari's. Ikari had never died after all, or at least he didn't think so.
"Fucking wolves!" he suddenly snarled, punching his fists into the rocky wall next to him. It crumbled under his knuckles, pieces of it falling like large chunks of gray. "You fucking assholes!" he growled, retracting his hand before punching it into the same spot, causing the small hole to grow larger. "You'll fucking pay for this, you low bastard scum!"
He struck the wall a third time, noticing the red marks he was leaving in the sandy and pebbly side of the cave. He withdrew his fists as he fell to the ground on his rear, watching the red thick liquid trickle down his long claws before dripping off the tip of his fingers. He felt the pain, but wondered how it must have been for Kagome to have felt pain like this one hundred times more excruciating. "Why…?" he whispered, his voice nearly cracking. "Why does everyone I care about get taken away from me…" He laid his injured hand down on the ground next to him, allowing the blood to stain the floor beneath him. "God damnit! Whatever bastards are listening! Why don't you tell me WHY!?"
A smash of a wave against the cliff was his answer, and he felt himself heaving from the strain he was using to just yell. He couldn't understand 'why' and all he asked for was an answer…why didn't someone just explain to him?
He fell backwards, laying sprawled on the ground as he stared at the ceiling. Different and random thoughts began to invade his mind.
I love the ocean…
It's so peaceful…so calming…so soothing to my heart…and it's…so…well…beautiful.
Where had he heard that before? He knew Kagome loved it---she loved it a lot---but he vaguely remembered those words from someone else. He couldn't figure out why he was thinking about it at a time like this, but maybe because that person had loved the ocean just as much as Kagome had?
This isn't exactly my kingdom, you know?! I'm only here for you.
He remembered her saying that during an argument back when he had first met her and they had frustrated each other. He knew she hadn't meant "I'm only here for you" in the way he kind of wanted it to mean, but he also knew it was too late to tell her he wished for it to mean that way.
"I even miss your voice, you…" he trailed off when he caught a scent of something. His eyes widened. Digging his claws into the ground and causing cuts in the rocks, he could feel his heart thumping hard. Was it---may it---is it---could it possibly be his imagination, or was he really sensing her?
"Kagome…" he whispered breathlessly as he pushed himself off the ground with his injured hand, which had already begun to heal due to the blood running through his veins. He forgot that though.
Rushing back through the vines of blue and pink flowers, he dashed down the steps towards the outside. No, it couldn't possibly be her scent. But yes, it was definitely her that his nose was picking up. It was her.
He didn't even notice as he waded out into the water, the icy cold waters covering up to his chest due to the high waves in the rain. The water pounded down relentlessly upon his hair as he struggled to the shore, being pushed occasionally by a strong current. Through the suffocating air, he could pick out the distinct scent that was hers, and hers alone.
Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was this real? Was she back? Why?
Rushing back up the coast, the rain getting into his eyes as he wiped it away furiously, he noticed her scent only got stronger. Perhaps he had finally snapped and went crazy? He doubted it, but how could one he had watched die be up the coast?
"What is happening…" he muttered, kicking sand behind him as he hurried towards his castle, seeing the gigantic structure through the rain soon enough. He stopped, putting his nose into the air and sniffing the air. It was definitely there. Her scent was definitely there. And it was almost certainly mixed with the scent of the thing she and he had encountered up on the cliff a while ago. But...why?
Traveling towards his home, his sleeves billowing in the air as he started leaping, Inuyasha squinted and his bright, golden eyes picked up something far off into the distant, something levitating in the air. It was only a blob, but he could see another blob being detached from the bigger blob. He strained to even try and hear that far, but only the howl of the wind replied swiftly.
"It's you," he said in a voice that almost seemed sure that he was right, his sight trained on that single blob on the coast as the bigger one flew off. He could tell that scent from the larger one was definitely from the demon on top of the cliff, yet, the one on the beach…it was hers. It was unquestionably Kagome's.
It only took a matter of a few minutes before he got to that person, who had their back turned to him. A blanket covered them from head to knees, but when he looked down, he saw it. It was her kimono; it was the kimono she had worn the day people had pushed her off to sea.
He could feel his hardened core melt as he watched her walk up the coast, towards the castle that was his home. He wanted to call out to her, he wanted to do something, but all he could do was stand there in the sand, staring at the person. The faint smell of blood and some sort of medicine could be smelt, but predominant over anything else was her scent. The pure, sweet scent of Kagome.
She stopped walking, as if sensing him behind her.
He could feel himself holding his breath as she slowly turned around, the first glimpses of strands of black hair appearing out of the blanket. It felt so overwhelming, it almost made him want to blow off with the wind. It was a horrible feeling, but the most anticipating emotion he had ever felt in his life.
Blue clashed with gold in a single glance, an overpowering feeling grabbing a hold of Inuyasha's heart and twisting it. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't talk, he couldn't even move as he glanced into the familiar eyes of the girl he had thought he had lost.
"…Inuyasha…?" she whispered timidly, her sapphire orbs widening in a mixture of surprise, joy, suspicion and something akin to terror. She lifted a hand up over her mouth as she began to breathe harder, her eyes trained on the hanyou. "Is it you…"
She took a step forward, her other hand coming up to clench into a fist over her chest. Her eyebrows slanted down in apprehension, as she continued taking small, weak steps towards him, the blanket fluttering from her body and blowing a good distance away. She didn't seem to notice though, as water streaked down her hair and face, the droplets dripping incessantly.
He watched her, the kimono clinging to her body as she got soaked deeper. Her eyes never left his---not for a single moment---and he couldn't break the enchantment either. She was here. She was alive. She was staring right back at him like a lost lamb. "Kagome…" A feeble smile appeared on his lips as he loosened his hands from where he had kept it as fists by his side. He let out a long, shuddering sigh.
"You came back."
Those words seemed to be the knife that cut open her wounds, and the small distance from where they were apart was rapidly being closed into as she ran towards him, her eyes already watering. She said she didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help it, and she wasn't sure if she could stop it. "Inuyasha!" she almost screamed in hysterics, biting her lower lip as she flung herself into his open arms, ignoring the sting it made run through her body. That didn't matter at all.
"I'm so sorry! God, I'm so sorry!" she cried uncontrollably, stuffing her face into the material of his haori, her chest heaving as she tried to make sense of everything that seemed so wrong. Her arms circled under his arm, clutching desperately onto the one support that made sense to her. Nothing else did but him.
He still couldn't make too many coherent sentences up, as he was engulfed in the heat that was Kagome---the one thing he had thought he had lost and was now standing here embracing him. He clenched his teeth hard from being overwhelmed by the sudden onrush of emotions, and he slowly slipped his arms around her petite form, holding her more protectively against himself and almost shielding her from the rain.
"I don't know what to say. I-I can't say anything…I want to cry. Oh lord, I-I think I want to cry," she rambled into his clothing, forcing herself against him as close as she could, as if to meld into one with the hanyou. Betrayal, lies, trust, truth, or any of that didn't matter right now. All she could really comprehend was that he had been here…he had found her.
There was silence from Inuyasha for a while, before an almost strained voice mumbled, "…Then cry…I'll be here for you."
Those words reached her ears, repeating themselves like a mantra as she felt the eruption slowly grow, starting from her chest. She was right, she couldn't control it. It was too much. It was much too overpowering for her to oppress.
Inuyasha held Kagome even closer as the first muffled cry tore sharply from her throat.
Author's Notes: Well, there you have it. It's up to you to decide whether that's a happy or sad reunion…although I'll personally say it's happy. You don't even want to know sad. ^__~
And ooh lala…Sango has mentally agreed to Miroku's marriage. I guess you could say it's two goodies for the price of one? Review!