Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha.
Author's Note: This is the KikyouXInuyasha ending. Please enjoy and review!
Kikyou was torn between two feelings. She loved Inuyasha, but also had feelings for this young warrior, Bankotsu. I made love to him, doesn't that mean something? She asked herself. She also felt guilty for not telling Inuyasha. Looking down at the sleeping hanyou, Kikyou stood silently.
She would go to see Bankotsu's body. After all, one of the dead would do well to have a miko nearby. But the real reason this miko wanted to go was to see. See for herself, one last time, how strong her feelings were. Kikyou knew that if she put him at peace, she would have closure.
Yawning and stretching, a silver-haired hanyou opened his eyes to see her leave. Where's she going? He wondered. "Kikyou?"
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha," the miko started. "I have to go see the body of Bankotsu. One of the dead must be sent to the other plane by someone like me, and I doubt there is anyone else that would do it."
"Keh, don't go," he said bitterly. "You're wasting your time. I sliced his chest wide open and he fell to the ground easily. And he didn't get back up."
Something entered Kikyou's mind so suddenly it was like an electrical shock running up the back of her neck.
"The shard," she whispered. "He missed the shard."
"What?" Inuyasha looked at Kikyou impatiently. "Come back to bed. I'm not through with you yet."
But Kikyou was moving even faster. Finally, as she prepared to leave, she turned to Inuyasha.
"I have to tell you something," she began.
Sensing the urgency in her voice, Inuyasha stared into her eyes.
"I have feelings for Bankotsu," she continued and, seeing the look of shock on Inuyasha's face, rushed on, "and I made love with him willingly. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn't know how."
Inuyasha looked furious. Kikyou, no… "How dare you, you bitch! How dare you?" The hanyou stood and started yanking his kimono and hakama on. "And when were you going to tell me this?"
"I don't know," Kikyou said honestly. "And he's not dead."
Inuyasha stared at her blankly.
"He has a Shikon shard in his neck."
Inuyasha laughed. "Now you tell me. Well, I'm going to make short work of him!"
"Don't," Kikyou warned. "Let me take care of it."
A passion rose through Inuyasha. He was trying to make it stay inside, but it burst through his lips. "I don't care if you love him or not, Kikyou! I fought so hard for you, we've come all this way, I've finally made my decision to stay by your side, dead or alive!" He growled. "Any man that would come between you and I will pay the dearest cost."
Kikyou knew she should be angry, but instead she faltered in her steps. He loves me… Now her decision would be even harder. Decision, what decision, this is what I always wanted. Wanted? As in, used to want, but not anymore? She didn't know. She couldn't tell.
Then, a cold voice came from behind her. "What cost is that, hanyou?"
Kikyou whipped around, her ebony locks slapping her cheeks. "Bankotsu."
"Did you not think that I would come for you?" He looked at her softly. "My bride-to-be?"
The miko's voice broke. "I said no such thing."
"But you gave yourself to me," he responded simply. I smell that dog all over her. Is it possible? That love would steal away from me so soon?
"She also gave herself to me, you asshole!" Inuyasha immediately swung Tetsusaiga into its full transformed position. "Now, I'll kill you for what you did!"
"Don't Inuyasha!" A clear voice called from behind a tree. Out stepped Kagome. "Kikyou and Bankotsu love each other. You're making a huge mistake."
"What do you know of love?" Kikyou spat.
"Enough to know what's right!" Kagome snapped.
"Enough!" The young warrior said. The softened look in his eyes of a hopeful love was quickly fading to shadow. "Choose, miko," he looked at his lover. "Me, or the hanyou?"
Kikyou looked at the both of them nervously.
"It doesn't matter," Inuyasha growled. "I'll kill you no matter what she says."
"Him, or me?" Bankotsu questioned again.
"Well," Kikyou began. "Bankotsu, what we had was sweet…" Inuyasha's audible growling made her swallow nervously and made her heart pang with recovered emotions.
"And?" He urged.
"And… I don't know. Inuyasha is a part of my past, and he may be part of my future."
"Well, that's that. Inuyasha, prepare to die!" With that, the Schichinintai warrior thrust Banryuu towards Inuyasha to deal a deadly strike.
The arrows hit him so fast he could hardly move. The sweetly bitter burning sensations singed his skin.
"I choose." Kikyou lowered her bow. "Inuyasha."
Kagome sighed, tears brimming in her eyes. She took off into the woods.
"Kagome, you'll understand one day," Inuyasha said.
"Kagome!" Bankotsu cried out. "I said I'd owe you a favor."
Sniffling, the girl turned back to look at him. "It doesn't matter now," she said. "It's too late. You heard them. They've already consecrated their love."
Inuyasha and Kikyou were too shocked at the other two speaking together that they stood still and silent.
"Well, I want you to take this, and go to defeat Naraku for me." With that, Bankotsu reached into his own neck to pull out the Shikon shards. Just as they landed in the girl's hand, his body faded to dust and ashes, leaving three arrows pinned to a tree.
The tears coming down Kikyou's face made paths on her dirt-stained cheeks. I'm sorry, Bankotsu. But I must thank you.
Later that evening, two people walked down a path to a familiar dock. This time, they were confident in their love.
No fear, no shame. Just a hanyou and a miko, hand in hand.
A long-lost friendship, and a long-lost love, no longer lost at all.
And this time, when their lips met, it was forever.
The End