InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Exploring the Sengoku Jidai ❯ Respite - Ch 448/449 ( Chapter 5 )

 

 

Respite

By: Fano

 

 

Miroku, you idiot! InuYasha thought to himself as he watched the monk's pale, still features, looking for a sign of life. InuYasha sat in the corner of the small hut, keeping watch on Miroku as Kikyo, Sango and Kohaku took a short break from the three day healing of Miroku's horrible shouki wounds. His arms were crossed over his chest, his Tetsusaiga tucked in the crook of his elbow protectively, where it belonged. What were you thinking, Miroku? You know you can't be the one to take down Naraku.

 

The monk's face was beaded with sweat, and he groaned a little in his sleep, shifting his head uncomfortably. Without thinking, InuYasha was at his side, wondering if he should try to adjust the pillow. Unsure what to do, he sat back as soon as Miroku became still once again.

 

InuYasha watched his friends' eyes move quickly under his eyelids. What monsters do you dream about? he wondered. Seeing the purple splotches on Miroku's shoulders, the blood stains on his face, InuYasha felt fear rise in him. A fear for this man's frail, human body, and yet another anger at the demon who had hurt him. He wished with all his heart to see Miroku open his eyes and smile again. Willed these boyish features to move into the mature expression of the man within.

 

The monk's eyes fluttered open, unseeing, pain on his face.

 

“Hey there, Miroku,” InuYasha tried to sound casual, unsettled by the sightless eyes. “How `ya feelin'?”

 

“Ungh,” Miroku croaked. InuYasha felt fear again.

 

“What?” InuYasha said, feeling helpless to help.

 

Miroku swallowed with difficulty, and tried again. “Waaa…er.”

 

InuYasha reached for the cloth in the bowl that Kikyo had told him to use, squeezing it gently to drip liquid into the monk's open mouth. How well he knew that feeling, all the pain amplified by the unquenchable thirst of healing. After a while, Miroku moved his head away, letting some of the water drip on his cheek, his face turned to the wall. InuYasha waited, wondering if he needed more.

 

“Inuya…,” Miroku sighed with the effort of speech. Was he awake or muttering in his sleep? “Thak `ou,”

 

“No problem,” InuYasha said, agitated that Miroku would use his energy for something so trivial.

 

“No….not that,” Miroku looked up at the ceiling and cleared his throat to speak more clearly.

 

“Well, then what the hell for?” InuYasha thought his words sounded too gruff, so he softened his voice. “Just shut up and rest.”

 

Miroku cracked something of a sad smile, “I mean, thanks for saving me from the Shouki.” He closed his eyes, looking shamed. “I was too stupid to stop, even when I knew it wasn't going to work.” His eyes opened again. “I just … thought …”

 

Miroku turned his face to look at InuYasha, his eyes focused, but weary. He looked like he wanted to say something and then decided against it. He turned his head back to stare at the wood slats over their heads, a troubled expression on his face.

 

InuYasha instinctively knew that Miroku didn't need more words right now. So they sat.

 

After a bit, Miroku spoke again. “InuYasha, I saw this time what it's going to take to kill Naraku.” InuYasha felt cold, hearing the unspoken words. “I need to you promise to take care of Sango for me.”

 

“Keh!” InuYasha scoffed with his voice, but his eyes shown a different expression altogether. “Don't be stupid, Miroku. We're going to get him before he gets us. You're going to be the one to take care of Sango.”

 

“Hm,” Miroku stared harder at the ceiling, “but if we don't, or I don't make it,” Miroku looked back at InuYasha, a feverish shine in his eyes, “promise me.”

 

InuYasha looked at his friend, wanting to yell in his face that it wasn't going to happen that way. Scream and pummel him into submission, until he agreed he could see no other outcome than victory.

 

“I promise,” he said.

 

They sat in silence until the monk's eyes closed and Sango came back into the room, dismissing the hanyou to the outside.

 

##

 

“Kagome,” Kikyo's tired voice surprised the girl, sorting plants she'd gathered that morning.

 

“Yes? Kagome straightened and looked around to see Sango and Kohaku walking to the stream. Looking back at Kikyo standing before her, she said, “do you want me to watch the monk while you rest again?” Day two of the healing, and Kikyo looked as bad as Miroku.

 

“No,” Kikyo came to stand next to her, a few inches taller, and many years more weary, “I asked InuYasha to sit with him.”

 

“InuYasha?” Kagome laughed a little despite herself, “that must have shocked him.”

 

Kikyo smiled a little, catching her meaning.

 

“He was happy to do it,” she said, “I think he's very worried about Miroku.”

 

“Yes, he is,” Kagome agreed. “We all are.”

“As you should be,” Kikyo rested her eyes on the girl. “May I ask you a favor?”

 

Kagome was surprised, “alright,” she said hesitantly. The last time Kikyo had asked for a favor, it had been to save her `life'.

 

“Can I ask you to hold my hands? I'd like to use your healing power to help me purify the shouki more quickly from my body.” Kagome flinched a little, remembering the pain from the last time she'd helped Kikyo. “I don't think it will hurt you,” Kikyo said reassuringly. “Not like the last time.”

 

Kagome looked at her, realizing this was probably the closest thing she was going to get to an apology from this enigmatic creature.

 

“Sure,” she said, with only a very slight reservation in her voice. “What do I do?”

 

“Just sit with me under the tree,” Kikyo moved to a large shade tree near the hut. They settled down on their knees, facing each other, Kikyo took Kagome's hands carefully in hers. Kikyo's hands were so cold.

 

“You are warm,” Kikyo said as she curled her fingers over Kagome's wrist. She gripped Kagome's hands a few times until making full palm-to-palm contact. Then she looked up into her eyes with intensity, searching for something there.

 

Kagome might have been able to move, but she couldn't find the desire, Kikyo's expression so captivated her. She began to feel a pull from inside Kikyo, pulling at her palms and thorough her eyes. Kikyo seemed to find what she was looking for, her expression softening, but remaining locked on Kagome's gaze.

 

“Open your heart,” Kikyo said gently.

 

Kagome wasn't sure what she was asking for, and she wasn't sure she wanted to give it to this woman, who remained a constant source of angst for the younger woman. But as she stared into Kikyo's black eyes, dark as night pools, she sensed her pain, her struggle to cling to the world, her complete and utter weariness.

 

Looking into those depths, Kagome felt compassion for her nemesis/soulmate. She felt her heart soften, opening to let a warmth stream down her arms and into her hands, jumping the small space to Kikyo's ice cold skin.

 

Kikyo felt the warmth come into her, filling her like the breath she no longer breathed. Her shoulders relaxed, and she passed an unspoken appreciation to the girl through their eyes.

 

Kagome's eyes were so bright. Flecks of blue and green swam in the brown pools, sparkling in the afternoon sun. She saw health there, and hope. She saw love. Kagome's love was everywhere in her eyes, it permeated her soul, and glowed around her like a halo. Did she know how beautiful she was? Did she know how much power she wielded with every selfless act, every kind word?

 

Kikyo took the warmth into her until she felt Kagome's hands grow chill. Knowing Kagome could replenish her energy quickly, she kept the connection a moment longer, taking all she could and then sealed it off by closing her hands and resting them in Kagome's open palms. She did not break their eye contact.

 

“Kagome,” Kikyo said, trying to look as deeply into those lively waters as she could, “thank you.”

 

A small tear brimmed at Kagome's lashes.

 

##

 

At that moment, InuYasha stepped out of the hut and took in the sight of the two women he cared about most in the world, locked in an unspoken conversation, unmoving. Kagome held Kikyo's hands lightly in hers, supporting her somehow. InuYasha did not know what was going on, but he knew he should stay out of it.

 

He watched them, facing each other like a shrine to their shared soul. They were both beautiful to look at and to think on. He felt very lucky all of a sudden, able to see them like this together, locked in some kind of intimate communion. How could he choose between them? Was there no way to have them both? He stared at them, trying to fix their image in his mind, to carry them both with him.

 

Kikyo said something he couldn't hear and rose to approach the hut again. She stepped up to enter the hut. She did not look at him.

 

“Hold Kagome,” she said softly to him as she passed, on her way back to Miroku. “She's cold.”

 

The door closed behind her, and InuYasha went to Kagome and held her.

 

THE END