I know it's short. I know it's late. I'm going to try and get this story moving much quicker and finish it up and then I think I'm going to re-write the beginning and maybe combine some chapters to make them longer.
My feet felt like concrete. I dragged them as we walked. The trees and foliage were nothing but green and brown blurs. I could focus on nothing except the hostile energy behind me. I was making a conscious effort to look at anything but Kouji. This was proving to be increasingly difficult as he tried harder and harder to make his wishes known. I had a hunch that he wanted to yell at me. There may be a bright side to this yet. Just kidding, this cloud has no silver lining. In his current state, Kouji can't really do much of anything. He can follow me all he wants but he won't be able to speak or touch anything. If he's here long enough, he will eventually gain the ability to touch and move things, maybe master speech even. The cost for that though is corruption of his soul. If he tries to stay here that long, I will go seriously medieval on his ass. I remember our old rituals and I will send him to the spirit world if I have to. It'd be so much easier if I didn't have to do that, but the only way he will go on willingly is if I talk to him.
Itachi and Kisame stopped at some clearing of trees that much like every other clearing that we had seen today. None of it left any impact on me. I had been lost in my own thoughts all day and remembered little of the journey. While the two Akatsuki members set up camp, I found Kouji's eyes and nodded to him before walking out the direction we had just come from. Kisame started to protest when he looked up and saw me leaving but after receiving glares from both myself and the elder Uchiha, he merely frowned and went back to building a fire. I walked far enough that I didn't think Itachi and Kisame would hear but stayed within sight of the fire. I sat and waited expectantly for Kouji to do something. But all he did was stare at me. It didn't take long until I cracked under his gaze. I broke eye contact and looked at my feet. The air shifted as Kouji moved and my shoulder felt cold as his hand passed through it. His eyes were full of pain and I'm sure that mine mirrored his as the realization struck that Kouji really was gone. We had been through so much and now, now Kouji was gone.
I felt the water build up behind my eyelids but knew that I couldn't let it out. I gathered up my resolve and steeled myself to meet my dead husband's gaze once again. As he looked in my eyes, a jolt seemed to go through him and he opened his mouth. I frowned, what was he trying to do? And then, my mouth fell open in shock as Kouji spoke.
"My love, my heart, what are you doing?" He asked me, with that same smile on his face I had seen every time he came home. I choked on a sob that managed to make its way past my throat. Kouji looked at me with remorse and almost pity in his eyes. "I can see what's going through your mind. Don't remember our child. That wasn't your fault. None of this was. I may be gone from your world but you will be okay. That much I can promise you," I opened my mouth to respond but he held up a hand, signaling he wasn't done. I closed my mouth and tasted the hot saltiness of my own tears. I touched my cheek in surprise. They had escaped and were now freely flowing down my face. "Do not despair just yet," Kouji continued, "for I see in your future your chance to be truly blissful. I never told you but you were my true mate. I was bonded to you alone. I knew then and know now that I was not your true mate. I knew there was another who would eventually take you from me. I see now who he is. I cannot tell you but know that you need only open your heart to him and accept what he tells you, and you shall both be happy. Something that neither one of thinks is possible. I have to go, but you know that. Do not mourn me too long, my sweet, or you will miss your chance. Goodbye." As Kouji left, I fell to my knees, trying to process everything he had told me. While it was true he was not my true mate, I had thought we would both find others eventually. We had gotten married to appease my father. It's true we did fall in love but I had been certain we would both fall out of love when our true mates came into our lives. Now I see that had never been part of Kouji's plan.
I whispered goodbye to him one last time before I returned to the campsite. And to my captors.
End for now. Thank you to those who have been patient so far. I will try to get my butt in gear. Review?