InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Egao O Ageru ❯ Epilogue ( Chapter 5 )

 

 

 

Writer's Yaps:

 

Whoohee!!! This is the final chapter of my very first fanfic. Please, oh please tell me what you guys think about this!

 

FranklinBe, I know you advised me to make longer chapters, but I couldn't seem to do it as this one was originally intended to be a one-shot thing. Hehe! Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate it!

 

Please R `n R!

 

 

 

Egao O Ageru

 

 

 

Epilogue

 

 

 

She was cold. Darn the dratted air conditioning. Due to their haste in taking Rin here she forgot to bring a sweater. Hospitals always made her uncomfortable, but it was not much as the cold itself but for the feel of the place. Kagome was rarely sick as a child, though between several ulcers, an appendectomy, and having had her tonsils taken out her memories of the place just weren't very good.

 

She squirmed on the plastic seat and rubbed her hands together for warmth. They've been sitting in the waiting room for the past hour, impatient for news of Rin's condition. Inuyasha, who was seated on her right, felt the tremors emanating from her. He took off his fire-rat cloak and draped it over her shoulders.

 

Kagome turned to face him and smiled at him gratefully. Surprisingly, he had been awfully quiet ever since they got here. She had been expecting him to cross swords with his brother, as they were wont to do whenever they were in the vicinity of one another. His brother…

 

The person in mind was seated right next to the swinging doors. His spine was rigid, not touching the backrest of the chair and his face was set in a blank mask. He had not moved a muscle in the last hour, except for his eyes, which flickered to the doors every once in a while. Earlier, the other people in the room were gaping at him avidly, whispering behind their hands. They probably thought that he was an actor or royalty or something like that, what with his immaculate silk kimono and formidable armor. Not to mention those magnificent swords of his. He exuded a regal aura…untouchable and somehow dangerous.

 

Sesshoumaru paid them no heed. What was going on in there? The miko said it was minor surgery, but why was it taking so long? His hand clenched on his lap, betraying his anxiety, though his features remained stoic. There were only a handful of ningens in the room, and all of them had dozed off except for Kagome and his brother. The priestess's mother got up some time ago and said she was going to the cafeteria for something to eat. He could care less for whatever was happening around him, but he couldn't stand to wait a second longer. Those men were most likely doing something atrocious to his Rin. His hand was clenched so tightly his nails were digging into his palms, his knuckles white. All manner of horrifying images flickered unbidden across his head. Perhaps they couldn't sew her stomach back properly; maybe they couldn't get the blasted organ out. She could be bleeding to death right this instant, calling out to him to save her! His eyes widened in fear, shuddering inwardly. Pushing those abominable thoughts from his mind, he abruptly rose to his feet. He would kill them…he would kill them all for making her suffer.

 

“Sesshoumaru?! Wait, where are you going?” Kagome exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

 

Ignoring her, the demon lord purposefully made his way to the set of doors at the end of the hall. As if on cue, they burst open and out walked a man garbed all in blue. There was an odd cap on his head made of the same blue material, making it appear as if his head was shaved but the skin on it was a wrinkly blue instead of a human's fleshy color. His feet were encased in weird squishy slippers. A grin was pasted on his bearded face. “Oh hello there. I'm Doctor Mizuki. I'm pleased to inform you that the operation went without a hitch. She's gonna be just fine.”

 

It took a while for Sesshoumaru to realize that this man was addressing him. He was obviously referring to Rin. Not knowing what to say, he merely nodded, an immense wave of relief suddenly crashing over him. Black and purple spots suddenly danced in front of his vision, making him feel light-headed and faint. Aww hell, what in the world was happening to him? This Sesshoumaru has never passed out in his entire existence.

 

Next to him, Kagome gave a sigh of relief. “Oh thank heavens! We were so worried. May we see her now?”

 

“Certainly,” Mizuki said as he consulted his clipboard. “The girl's asleep. She needs to stay in bed for the next week or so, and she must be given a soft diet for the duration. Here's a list of painkillers.” He handed a sheet of paper to Kagome. “Make her take one or two tabs a day when her wound starts paining her. The anesthesia should wear off in a couple hours. Now, this way please.”

 

The doctor motioned them beyond the doors and directed them to the third room on the right. “Please have a care not to wake her, she's gone through quite an ordeal. Goodnight!” And with that he left.

 

Kagome spun on her heels and turned to face Inuyasha, who had come trotting after her. “You stay here and wait for mom. We'll just check on Rin,” she ordered pointedly.

 

Inuyasha nodded reluctantly. “Keh, alright,” he replied grudgingly, not wanting to leave Kagome alone with his brother.

 

She gave him a reassuring smile. “I'll be ok.” She brought her head back around to look where Sesshoumaru had gone. He was standing in front of Rin's door, looks of uncertainty and anticipation battling across his face.

 

Kagome stepped up to the door and opened it softly. With a wave of her hand, she gestured for Sesshoumaru to precede her.

 

With steely resolve, Sesshoumaru cautiously took several steps inside the threshold. He was feeling two things at once; he was afraid to see that he would find her hurting still, and eager at the same time knowing that she was fine. The room was bathed in a mild, warm glow from a lamp on the bedside table. The window shutters were left open, letting pale moonlight filter in. His eyes drifted to the middle of the room. His Rin…his Rin was lying asleep in the middle of the bed, the huge size of it dwarfing her tiny form. Her face was white and pallid, but her expression was serene; she was no longer hurting. He approached the side of the bed, sitting on a hard-backed chair facing her. Now that it was over, all he could do was stare at her. She seemed to be in one piece, all of her limbs were intact. Amazing what these modern times could do. Unknowingly he reached for her hand, enveloping her fragile fingers in his strong ones.

 

Kagome lingered just inside the door, not wanting to disturb the youkai in his musings. He was probably unaware that his eyes were unusually gentle as they roved over his charge, checking for signs of distress. Finding none, he took her hand and continued to watch her sleep, his face slipping back into its customary impassive countenance. She felt her eyes moistening at this sudden display of tenderness. Without a word, she slipped quietly out of the room.

 

Sesshoumaru did not notice the miko leave. His head was ready to explode thinking of the times he spent with Rin before all this ever happened. He remembered her sunny disposition, her boundless spirit, her unfailing faith in him. It was all too much. He was feeling too much. He, Sesshoumaru, the great Lord of the Western Lands, was a weakling. A weakling for he allowed himself to be subject to emotion, that detestable human attribute, making him vulnerable. He despised himself for letting this happen, but if truth be told he knew he was deluding himself. For the first time, for as long as he could recall, he felt good inside. The situation was so unheard of, so damn absurd, that he had an almost uncontrollable compulsion to throw back his head and laugh. But, no, oh no…for this Sesshoumaru never laughed, it was inconceivable. He silently chastised himself for almost letting go.

 

Rin stirred in her sleep, her fingers unconsciously tightening on his. Her lips moved, and he leaned down to catch the words, “…forever…together forever with Sesshoumaru-sama,” she murmured faintly. She must surely be dreaming.

 

“Hai, Rin. We will be together forever. This Sesshoumaru solemnly swears,” he replied just as softly. He suddenly felt like laughing again, in relief and contentment. He would never do so though. But his lips were twitching, twitching…the corners of his mouth slowly stretching upward in a smile. Well, he would just have to settle for that instead.

 

 

-0-0-0-

 

 

Writer's Yaps:

 

Alrighty, that's it! I would have posted this last night but I fell asleep halfway through writing it. Anyway, I'll be working on my next story now, and it's still about Sess and Rin, although this time, as a pairing. Please watch out for that one!

 

Reviews are still much appreciated, thanks everyone!

 

Until next time…Ja ne!

 

-bungeegum-