Death Be Not Proud

by landofthekwt

Inuyasha and Shiori cling to each other after their spouses die "The Long Goodbye" "Carry On My Wayward Son" and a "Life Well Lived ""The Bravest Man in the World" and "Educating Musushio" are prologues to Death Be Not Proud and an ending to Ten Years After Don't own it or make make money from it

11. All Men Die But First They Live

Title All Men Die, But First They Live

Author landofthekwt

Rating K

Prompt Clarity (ib4y)

Word Count 291

genre hurt/comfort

Part of Death Be Not Proud

Warning mention of character death

Summary Shiori returns homeShiori looked around the room. Everything was just the way that it had been the day Kohaku died. It was as if time had stopped while she went on her little adventure with Inuyasha. Not the house was dirty. Just dusty and unlived in as if people had turned their home into a shrine.

She began dusting and sweeping. When she was finished, she opened the shoji door and swept the remaining dust out the door. Unfortunately Mutusuhito, her eldest was covered with the dust that she had just swept out the door.

She rushed out and embarrassed him further by brushing him off and inviting him in for tea. When he was settled and the tea was served his mother finally stopped moving and set down to drink her own tea. There was an embarrassed silence. Shiori finally had enough she started to speak, but he raised his hand.

"I see that the dog finally brought you home last night. You could have woken me up when you came home.. I have been waiting for you to return for months."

"I didn't want to bother anyone. It was already past midnight. I was tired and just wanted to sleep in my own bed."

Her son looked at her. When she left he was not sure if she would ever come back. He knew what her life had been over the last year. When she left it felt like both of them had died. He had forced to actually assume the mantle of leadership which had been his for the last year. It would have helped to have his mother's support.

"Are you here to stay or you and the dog going to run off again?:"

Shiori laughed and patted his arm. "This is my home, Mutushito. My family is here. Why would I ever want to leave?"

"But I thought"

"I just needed some time away. I sat by your father's bedside watching him die for a year. Death is a hard truth that I had to learn. Now I am ready to live again."

"What about Inuyasha?"

"Inuyasha is a dear friend who was there when I needed someone. He will never replace Kohaku.

Both of us have watched our spouses die. We both need someone to lean on who is not family, but who understands what we are feeling. I will be going to his village on the anniversary of Kagome's death and he will coming here on the anniversary of Kohaku's death."

Mutushio looked at the floor. It was good to have mother home. The world made sense again. Knowing that she would be here all his life was comforting. When he did not speak. Shiori finally asked " So what happened here, while I was gone.?"