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

16. Shiori is Shiori

Title Shiori is Shiori

Author landofthekwt

Rating K

Prompt Standin (unsung heroes)

Part of Death Be Not Proud

Word Count 300

POV Shiori

Warning none

Summary Shiori has prewedding jitters

Ridiculous. Her feelings. Her fears were ridiculous. Yet she could not deny that she felt jealous.

Jealous of Kagome. A woman who died nearly five hundred years ago. Yet Inuyasha refused to

marry her until Kagome left for the Sengoku Jidai in 2008.

She and Inuyasha had lived together for nearly as long. Openly as the head of both families in the house Inuyasha had built for her. Tomorrow would be different. She would get out of her bed in her house and come to the Higurashi Shrine to be married.

After all these years was she nothing but a stand-in for Kagome. She had heard the stories about Kikyou from Shippou. Kikyou was a word that was never spoken between Kagome and Inuyasha while she was there. The dead should stay dead.

For all this time, Kagome had stayed dead. Shiori had come to the shrine to be with Inuyasha on the anniversary of her death, but he kept their home in the Sunset Village until all the children had died or moved away.

It was only when Kagome came back to life that things changed. Suddenly, everything revolved around Kagome. Inuyasha felt that he had to protect Kagome even though she was not the same Kagome.

At last the day came when Kagome left for Feudal Era. On that day, Inuyasha shut himself up in his room and refused to come out. Afraid that he would do something that would change history forever

Today it was Shiori who would not come out of her room. Afraid that the last five hundred years with Inuyasha was just a fairytale that would vanish if she went to the shrine for the wedding.

Why were they getting married anyway? Everyone just assumed that they were. It had never mattered to her until now. Why did it mean so much?

"Shiori, if we don't hurry we will be late for our own wedding"

Shiori slowly exhaled. She had to ask him " Am I just a stand in for Kagome?"

Inuyasha was shocked. Those were the words that Kagome had said to him all those years ago. His words then had seemed profound so he repeated them. " Shiori is Shiori. Kagome was Kagome. I was married to Kagome, but she died. Today, I am marrying you."

"Why now? Why marry me now? Is it just because Kagome is gone forever?"

"Let me tell you a secret. Kagome and I never had a marriage ceremony. We lived together as husband and wife just like you and I have for the last five hundred years."

"Why now?"

"Because I promised your son Mutusuhito, on his death bed that I would marry you. Because

Mrs. Higurashi needs someone to support now that Kagome is gone forever. Because I love you."

The door slowly opened. Shiori was dressed in her going-away outfit for the promised honeymoon. The wedding kimono was at the shrine where they should have been an hour ago.

As Inuyasha bent down to kiss her, she whispered " I love you too. I will never doubt my place in your heart again.