A drabble for the LJ community IYfic Challenge. The theme was "Home."

Title: Leave-Taking
Rating: K+
Genre: drama/farewell
Pairing: n/a
Word Count: 287
Summary: The time has come to journey home. He has tarried here for far too long.

He knows that the time has finally come now and he feels relief more than anything else. He has tarried here for far too long already.

"Aneue--"

"No." Sango's voice is ragged and the tears stream from her eyes, running in glistening tracks over blood and battle-grime. "Nonononono..." She already knows what he will say. He can tell by the numbness in her voice that she even already accepts it, though she won't realize that herself until much later.

Once, she was home.

Once, she was hope, but that time has passed. His hands are too stained now. He is too stained. He only wants peace. Purification. An ending.

"Aneue," he repeats and he takes her stiff hands in his and gives the fingers a small squeeze. "You know I have to. You know why."

And she still says nonono, but even as the words spill out, she nods once: a jerky motion, as her eyes squeeze shut tightly and she pulls him into a hug that seems almost enough to make this place feel right again.

Almost.

He pulls away and she releases him, arms dropping to her sides like dead weight, and he steps back to the other who waits with arms outstretched.

Kikyou wraps him in an embrace--musing that not so long ago she had expected to make this journey with a very different boy in her arms--and gently but deftly plucks the shard from his back. Kagome's hands shake as she receives it, where it joins the rest of the jewel in her cupped palms.

Kohaku grows slack and Kikyou supports him, clutching his body tight to hers as she opens the way to hell.

Together, they travel home.