"You have to leave again, don't you?"
The snow had begun to melt, as she knew it would, bringing warmth, sunlight, and misery. No matter how much she reminded herself that it would happen, nothing could prepare her for how tight her chest felt.
How was she supposed to survive the next several months without him?
They hadn't even gone outside yet, but the rains had started, washing away what was left of winter, the promise of spring on the horizon.
Kagome hated it.
Nights were spent clutching at his fur, unable to sleep, unable to enjoy the dreams she knew would be waiting for her. The fantasy of a man she'd never met was nothing compared to the tranquillity of reality, to the feel of him wrapped around her as she completed mundane chores.
He wasn't a pet but a companion.
The beast had no name, or if he did, he'd never voiced it. Or been bothered by what they did call him. But he was theirs. Hers. The family felt complete with him there, and every bird call, every sprout reminded her that they'd soon be torn apart, leaving her to deal with a void that no one else seemed to feel.
Biting back tears, she hugged him fiercely, knowing the whine that escaped him was for her distress and not the tightness of her grip.
"Take me with you," she begged, the sound muffled in his fur. "Whatever you're after, whatever you're searching for, I can help." It was desperate, and childish, but she couldn't go through another two seasons away from him.
He refused.