InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Cruel Hands Of Fate ❯ Chapter Twelve ( Chapter 12 )

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Quiet sniffles reverberated off of wooden walls within a small shrine that housed nothing but a dried up old well. The reason for the sound sat perched precariously over the lip of the structure, her well-toned body slumped in sorrow and loss. Crystalline tears leaked slowly from saddened mahogany eyes that were hidden behind dark brown bangs and she let them fall unchecked to splash against her folded hands.

 

“I-I miss you…so very, very much. I wish we could've said goodbye at least…but really, I wish you hadn't had to leave at all. With all the things that were constantly happening in our lives, I never really had time to realize how short our time with you could be. I hadn't been prepared to watch you disappear before our eyes with bare seconds to whisper goodbye. That image still haunts me…even though the memories of your smile and your compassion are always present in my heart. I wish I could see you again…sister.”

 

She started slightly as warm, strong arms wrapped around her waist. So caught up in her grief was she, that her husband had been able to sneak up on her.

 

He hugged her to his chest tightly, his vivid violet eyes bright with unshed tears of his own. “She wouldn't have wanted us to mourn her so Sango. If anything, Kagome-sama would have requested us to have a celebration.”

 

A watery giggle slipped past her lips as she tried in vain to scrub away her tears, “I know Miroku…but I can't help but miss her. She meant so much to me…to everyone. No one has been the same and I know it's been less than a year ago…but I don't think any of us will ever be the same. The way she had to leave was so cruel. She gave us all so much…”

 

The houshi pulled the taijiya from her sitting position to lean into his chest and he hugged her close, “We can only pray that she lives a happy life…that all she gave up to save our present will ensure her a happy future.”

 

~*~

 

Kagome was pressed against the desk at her back, brilliant pink energy enveloping her hands and rapidly spreading up her arms as her dark sapphire eyes stared intently at the demon before her. Her body was tense and taught, her muscles sliding into perfect form for rapid movement as she eyed the predator that was eyeing her. Deadly, claw-tipped fingers twitched and Kagome's twitched in response, knowing that he was soon to pounce.

 

In a movement nearly too fast for the eye to see, he'd charged at her, claws flashing as they came to bear only to be repelled by a shimmering pink barrier springing into place. The force and energy of miko power stung and pushed him back, almost causing him to land on the two that had come with him.

 

“I see you haven't lost your fire miko.” He growled, crimson bleeding into his eyes as he watched the young female dispel her barrier.

 

“I see you haven't lost that stick up your ass youkai.” She smirked then, one corner of her soft lips quirking up in a positively wicked way as her cerulean eyes glittered with challenge.

 

“Impudent bitch!” He snarled, red flushing his eyes even more as his hand moved to the hilt of the blade at his side.

 

“Arrogant prick!” She retorted without pause, inwardly laughing at the way she could still get under his skin.

 

A low, dangerous growl rumbled throughout the room as he moved to circle his prey and Kagome moved in tandem, her eyes never leaving his even as he drew his katana from it's sheath with a succinct `ring'. Her dainty hand slid to the hilt of her own sword at her side, thumbing it lose and drawing it in one smooth movement. She ignored the gasps and whispers of the others in the room and had to concentrate to place a barrier around her soul; the emotions emanating from her two protectors would surely shake her focus.

 

The energy in the room was nearly overwhelming. Holy, demon and spirit energy snapped and crackled all about the office, brilliant pink clashing heavily with violent green. Kagome watched him closely and as his feet shifted stance, she braced herself for his attack, her right hand gripping the hilt of her blade steadily. Then he was in front of her, his katana coming to bear in a graceful and deadly arc that sent showers of youki around her as her own sword came to block it, the purity of her soul transferring to the blade and nipping at the demon weapon.

 

His body tilted towards her, the advantage of his height and weight causing her feet to slide across the floor as she held him off. He's fighting with his left hand…shit! That means I'm still open to attack from his left! Almost as if her thoughts had spurred him into motion, she caught sight of glowing green in her peripheral vision and held out her left hand. Another shimmering barrier sprung into place just as the whip cracked against it, hissing angrily before fading away. Once that threat was gone, she focused her attention solely on the blade in her hand and forced a burst of ki into it.

 

The reaction was awe inspiring to the spectators. Pure, blinding pink energy swelled against the angry aura of the evil sword before it exploded outward, sending the youkai flying to slam into the far wall and slide to the floor, the structure crumbling a bit around him as he moved down. Within the span of a heartbeat, he was up and sheathing his sword, giving a regal toss of his head to straighten his long locks and flip them back over his broad shoulders.

 

Kagome slid her blade home against her hip and swiped the hem of her sleeve across her brow. Lifting her head, glowing blue locked with molten gold and she smiled widely before sprinting rapidly across the gap that separated the two and jumping against his body. Her small arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders and she buried her face into his neck, sighing in contentment and happiness when she felt his arms circle her waist and bring her close. On her inhale, she breathed in his wonderful scent that she hadn't realized she missed so much and closed her eyes as his tinsel colored locks shadowed her from the world.

 

“Sesshoumaru…Kami I've missed you!” She cried as she hugged him tighter, not wanting to let go of him again.

 

A small, barely-there smile tilted his chiseled lips as he leaned away from her, one hand against the small of her back supporting her slight weight against him as the other brushed long strands of midnight away from her face. “It has only been weeks for you Kagome. It has been centuries for me.”

 

In a completely childish gesture - that made the noble youkai's smile widen minutely - she stuck her tongue out at him and mock-glared, “Who cares? Time is just a stupid detail anyway.”

 

“Damnit dog! Who do you think you are? Hogging my woman like that!” A gruff and oh-so-welcome voice cut through the tension in the room, causing a joyous giggle from the tiny miko as she was set down and various growls from the youkai in the room.

 

She spun around to face the owner of the voice and smiled widely, blue eyes lighting up like stars, “Kouga-kun! It is so good to see you again!” She pounced on him then, tackling him to the floor and hugging him tightly. The ookami laughed happily and returned the embrace as he drew her scent deep within his lungs. Five hundred years without even her scent was a long time.

 

A loud growl sounded in the room and Kouga found himself being yanked up from the ground roughly, causing the miko to stumble to her feet. “Now you're hogging her! She was mine before she ever was either of yours! I got to sleep with her every night and now I'm the last to get a hug? What a bunch of bullshit!”

 

Kagome gasped startled, azure orbs wide and filled with tears. Taking a hesitant step forward, she studied the youkai in front of her and her heart clenched. He had turned out so perfect and her heart cried out that she hadn't been able to watch him grow. Lifting a trembling hand out to him she questioned softly, “Sh-Shippou?”

 

His entire body froze as Kouga slipped from his grasp. The miko's stormy eyes were focused only on him and he felt paralyzed. It had been so long since he'd seen her last and there had been many a night where he'd cried in fright of forgetting what she looked like. Now seeing her again centuries later made his heart race and his soul soar. She was even more beautiful than he remembered as a child and his eyes filled with tears at reading the pain in her eyes.

 

Stretching his arms to the sides, he turned in a circle, his long red hair falling to his waist even in a low ponytail and his brilliant green eyes sparkling. “Well? What do you think? If I turned out wrong, you've only got an inu and an ookami to blame.”

 

Before he had a chance to say anything more, she was clinging to him, her strong, delicate arms wrapped tightly around his waist while her face was buried in her chest. Hot, wet tears soaked through his haori and stung his skin, her power affecting even her tears and letting him taste her pain. She felt guilty…so very guilty that she'd left him all alone.

 

“Shippou…I'm so sorry! My sweet little boy…I'm sorry I left you.” Her sobs were muffled slightly against the muscle of his chest but they echoed loudly in the silence of the room. Wrapping his strong arms around her, he sunk to the floor and pulled her into his lap, cradling her against his chest in much the same way she used to hold him.

 

“Shhh. It's okay momma. Sesshoumaru and Kouga took good care of me. They taught me everything they could! Sesshoumaru even had kitsunes in his employ that helped me! I promised myself that I'd live to see you again and I did! It wasn't your fault you had to go.”

 

Finally her sobs stopped and her body stilled, only an occasional sniffle sounding out in the still quiet room. Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara were watching the scene with looks of utter bewilderment on their faces. None knew how or why a human miko was in such good standings with the youkai present…or how she'd been able to actually hug Lord Sesshoumaru and still keep her head. He'd even returned the embrace!

 

Kurama was positively confused. A human miko had a kitsune son?

 

Koenma sat behind his desk, watching everything play out with a small smile on his lips. He hadn't been aware she held such a good relationship with the stoic inu but she was happy - he could feel it - and that was all that mattered. When Kagome was truly reunited with the kitsune, he felt tears prick at his own eyes for her.

 

Hiei…well, Hiei was a very unusual jumble of emotions - it seemed to happen around the miko more frequently than he would have liked - and wasn't sure whether to be happy that Kagome had her adopted son back or run the ookami through with his katana. His ever keen eyes certainly hadn't missed the affection hold the wolf had used with the miko and his nose was particularly offended. In a cohesive reaction, his inner demon wanted to tear the wolf prince limb from limb for even insinuating that Kagome was his.

 

He settled for growling…viciously.

 

Especially after she'd been released by the fox only to be captured in another far-too-friendly-in-his-opinion embrace by the damned wolf. He gleaned a small amount of satisfaction when the miko jumped at his growl and tore herself from the ookami's arms to spin around and stare at him, brilliant sapphire eyes wide and sparkling.

 

Apparently, things snapped back into reality for Kagome because soon she was hugging the fire demon tightly, her arms around his shoulders and her face buried against his neck whispering about her friends like a mantra. He was completely lost for a moment. The warmth of her breath and the butterfly soft touch of her lips against his skin caused his heart rate to speed up and when he breathed in sharply, her enticing aroma swarmed his senses.

 

A cough from behind her startled her yet again and she jumped away from him as if she'd only just realized exactly who she was clinging to. “Gomen Hiei,” she whispered softly, her cheeks blazing pink in embarrassment. Then he felt as if weight had been lifted from his soul and he realized she'd - finally - dropped the barrier that had kept his emotions and voice from her.

 

Despite how he hadn't minded - rather liked, actually - waking with her in his arms, he was still wary of the entire thing. She felt too good in his embrace and molded against his body and that certainly couldn't truly be a good thing for him. He was supposed to be cold and unreachable and yet he was almost…dare he say it?...happy that he could feel her against his soul and in his mind again.

 

Unknown to the miko, she had just chipped away a rather large chunk of ice from the fire demon's heart.