Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.


I Can't Promise

He'd learned not to say "never again."

When Kikyo turned on him, he swore "never again" to trust, or to care, for a human.

When he lay recovering from the injuries inflicted by his brother, he swore "never again" to watch a woman die.

When he held Kagome as she cried broken-hearted, for the second miscarriage, he swore "never again" to risk such grief.

Every time, he failed.

He could not control fate or chance, or the actions of others, or even his own heart.

So, late one night, as he held his fragile, white-haired Kagome in his arms, he gave her suspicious look, when she said, "Can you make a promise? For after I'm gone?"

"What kind of promise? Better not be something about 'not missing you,' 'cause I will, and you know it."

The nest of wrinkles did not diminish the loving laughter in her smile. "Of course not, my silly hanyo," she murmured. "Besides, this isn't a promise to me. It's to yourself."

"Oh?"

"Keep your heart open to love? Losing someone hurts: we both know that. But, don't let your pain turn you away from possibilities? I want to believe you'll find love and happiness in the future. Without me."

He stared at her, preemptively hurting, not wanting to imagine loving and losing another like Kagome. And yet … to spend all his remaining life with never a companion…

"I'll try," he whispered, taking her hand and nuzzling it. "I can't promise, but… I'll try."


Author's Note: This was written for the LiveJournal community's "Inuyasha FanFiction Contest", for the prompt "Never Again." It was initially posted on July 5th, 2011. It won first place.