InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Hundred and Twenty Years ❯ One Hundred and Twenty Years ( Chapter 1 )

One hundred and twenty years.

 

It had been one hundred and twenty years since they had climbed these long, endless steps, one hundred and twenty years since he had watched the hanyou advance on the small shrine house enclosing the well, entering the dark damp wooden structure and descending to the earthen floor where the mystical well resided.

 

Five hundred years prior to that date he had watched as they were ripped apart, taken from each other as the rift they had created in time tried to mend itself. So much had happened since then, so many journeys they had embarked upon together. A century or two had passed before he realized that his heart had been imprisoned within the callused hands of the man who stood, hesitantly at the bottom of the stairs.

 

He had watched them race to each other, had seen the shimmering tears in her eyes when she embraced him after only a few days separation to her, when it had been centuries to the man. Five hundred heart broken years. One hundred eighty two thousand five hundred days of despair, one hundred eighty two thousand five hundred nights of loneliness; and he could remember each one as he watched the hanyou try and hide his impatience with the passing time, the gloomy days no matter how sunny, the cold nights no matter how warm.

 

How he had hated her then. Though now he knew it was nothing but jealousy. She had no right to look so heartbroken when she had only been without love for mere moments compared to the hanyou, but he held his tongue. Their love, so strong not even time could separate them, the sight of it openly displayed before him halted his step down the stairs. His breath died and his heart ceased for a few moments before he turned on his heal and strolled out of the small wooden enclosure.

 

His slow leisurely pace belied his anxiousness to leave. To run like he had done so often before when he had seen their love, but now he left not for the woman, but for the man who held her, clutching her to him like so often in the past.

 

Embracing her like he had always wanted to be embraced. To be held in his arms and soothed of all his fears. To be loved by the silver-haired worrier who now meant more to him than the crisp fresh air of the mountains he had once called home.

 

Thirty four years.

 

It had been thirty four years since he had returned to this place. Thirty four years since he had walked beside his beloved as the hanyou shed tears for the mortal woman he had loved with all his being. Thirty four years since he had rushed to the hospital at the call of a young woman he had never seen but knew all to well as his goddaughter. As The youngest child of the union that broke his heart every time the memory crept into his mind.

 

Twelve thousand four hundred and ten days since he had held the weeping man in his arms, whispering words of comfort as his four children and their families encircled them. All crying. He could feel the stinging tears as well then. He should have been there, he knew he should, but he had let his anger and jealousy, his broken heart, from allowing him to become a part of their lives. All these faces that were his to protect should their father do anything brash after their mother's passing, faces he didn't know but for the pictures sent to him and the cards he wrote. Faces who no doubt wondered where this strange man was the majority of their lives.

 

Eighty six years.

 

Eighty six years of nothing but heartache and terror. Eighty six years of loving someone while they rested in someone else's arms. Eighty six years of watching as they made a family, created a loving home with someone who was not him. Three hundred and forty-four birthdays he had acknowledged with little more than a card with his signature sent to the four children who knew nothing of their strange godfather but what their father and mother told them.

 

Thirty one thousand three hundred and ninety days of sitting on his couch surrounded by pictures sent to him and memories of what he could not capture on film.

 

 

Now here he was, standing just inside the gates to the shrine, the stone steps, cracked and overgrown with weeds and roots, looking out over the ruined city that had been to prosperous back then. Civilization's inevitable collapse and been harsh on both youkai and ningen's, both clinging so strongly to each other over the centuries, so deeply woven together that the fall of one meant the fall of another. The earth was healing itself.

 

Turning he continued on. The hanyou's scent was everywhere, as though the land had bathed in his essence, the soil soaking it up like water, the plants drinking it in as though it alone could give them the life they cherished with every passing second in the sun.

 

How often had he relished this scent, so faintly clinging to the messages the man had sent him. How despaired he had been when the last traces entered his nose to imprint itself upon his spirit as once again his body succumbed to the heartache of his loss. he would wait again for the next letter, picture of give sent to him, always despising the ever changing hands it had gone through to reach him, the last remnants of the sent covered by so many, yet still so strong to him.

 

Walking slowly up to the two story house he tried to shake the memories that still clung to the foundation. The lives that had obviously been lived here, the love that had been shared, the tears that had been shed. Softly, hesitantly he knocked.

 

No answer.

 

He knocked again, this time pushing the door aside when again the home remained silent. The house was still the same, comfortable environment, but now held only faint traces of the woman who used to tend it. Almost everything screamed of the hanyou's touch, the hanyous presence, the hanyous love for whatever his fingers caressed as he walked through the first floor, intending to call out, but the sounds always latching onto the inside of his throat, threatening to choke him should he force them out unwillingly.

 

“Hello?” He called the only word that wished to exit. Really he didn't need to call out. He had to have been heard, triangular ears picking up even the softest sound as he shuffled though the house, his scent would have reached the occupant by now. So why did the fair-haired man not come to greet him? “Hello?” He called again.

 

There was no reply.

 

He took the stairs slowly, feeling like an intruder but not quite willing to give up his search. It had taken years, no, centuries to come up with the courage to do this today. Six hundred and twenty years of being in the hanyou's presence, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't count back to the day he first realized he was in love.

 

“Inuyasha?” He called, the name almost striking him down there. How often he had spoken that name as he relieved himself in his fantasies. That name almost held as much power over him as the figure of the hanyou that crouched down beside a potted sapling from the Goshinboku, the enormous tree that stood proudly in the courtyard outside.

 

“Come in Kouga.” His voice was little more than a whisper that sent a shiver through the wolf, as he wiped the damp soil from his clawed hands, carefully setting the pot in the room that had once belonged to Kagome, had belonged to two of his daughters, but now was occupied by various plants soaking up the sunlight filtering through the new floor to ceiling windows lined along the far wall.

 

So long. So long, he couldn't even remember how many days he had wished for this moment. Even all those years couldn't erase the longing he had, only slightly held at bay with his fantasies and dreams. But looking at him, gazing into the deep hazel eyes again, smelling the undeniable mixed scent that was Inuyasha, the standing so close to him, it was enough to make him want to hurl himself into the hanyou's arms. He wanted to feel the man's mouth against his own, to press their bodies together and admit that he wanted him, had loved him for centuries.

 

But he didn't.

 

Inuyasha was already walking towards him. The hanyou glanced at the duffle bag he had slung over his shoulder, a small smile curving his lips.

 

“Will you be staying this time?” He asked softly, sliding his hand down to grasp the shoulder strap

 

“If you want me,” he hadn't meant it to come out like it did, but Inuyasha didn't seem to mind, he was so close Kouga could feel the heat from his body. He knew if he looked into those deep eyes of his now he would be consumed by the passion and love he already felt to his very core.

 

So he looked.

 

The corners of his mouth tipped up and the bag fell to the floor with a thump. He closed the gap, his arms sliding around Inuyasha's neck as his fingers dove through the silky chrome hair.

 

Inuyasha's hands grasped Kouga's waist, pulling him all the closer, tight against him. He breathed deep as their noses touched, hovering for just a moment.

 

“I love you.” Kouga whispered, his mouth so close he could feel Inuyasha's smile against him.

 

“I know.” Inuyasha whispered back. “I've known for a long, long time.”

 

“How long?”

 

“Too long.” he breathed, before their mouths finally fit together like they were always supposed to. All two hundred twenty-six thousand three hundred days they had known each other.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

A piece from my story Forever Strong that never quite gets worked on. I got impatient with my writers block so I just skipped over about fifty chapters to come to this part. It was always my favorite little idea, now it's here! Unlike most other stories I read where Kagome and Inuyasha don't end up together, or Inuyasha and Kouga have the immediate spark of passion between them this happened over the course of centuries. Also I decided to end it with their kiss, because there isn't enough cuteness in Inuyasha couples anymore.

 

Know what? I'm gonna draw a pic of them holding hands! *gasp* The terrible non sexy boy affection that doesn't evolve the term “length”! *giggles*

 

Anyway, enjoy my cuteness! And leave a comment damnit! I didn't write this for my won enjoyment! …oh, yeah….I did… (;^-^)