InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ phases ❯ Here Is Much Closer than you think ( Chapter 10 )

Ch. 10

Here Is Much Closer than you think

The modest room glowed an ethereal blue, the winter moon sending down gentle rays to grace the chilled earth, the tiny window allowing a select few to shine upon the still figures within. A calloused hand ghosted over the soft features of its beloved's sleeping face, gently sweeping away a small curtain of brown hair. "What has you up so early?"

Violet eyes widened, her soft voice breaking the spell of the silent morning. "Do I need a reason to admire a beauty such as you?" Sango smiled brightly at Miroku's words, placing a small hand on the one that held her face. "Try as you might, you do not fool me, monk." Sango giggled softly as her husband's handsome features contorted into a pout.

A quite crackle emanated from the dying fire in the middle of the room, pulling both from the magic of the gentle moment. Brown eyes fell softly onto her folded hands, all thoughts going quiet as she absorbed the familiar feeling. Her eyes wandered to her husband's thoughtful face as he stared into the dying fire. She reached for his hand as she gently scooted closer. "You feel it, don't you? That is what has you up so early."

He smiled softly as he gently squeezed her small hand. "I do." The room grew silent as the two sat hand in hand happily enjoying the rare moment. "I suppose it's a good thing were up so early. I imagine we will be expecting a guest shortly after the sun rises." Sango softly hummed in agreement , wrapping both arms around his one and leaning her head on his broad shoulder.

"I wonder...what has changed his mind after so many years?" Neither one answered, their thoughts wandering to fond memories of many years ago. "I am only happy our old friend has decided to put his stubbornness aside...It matters not why, to me." Sango rubbed her arms as a cold wind wandered into the small room. She smiled softly pulling her husband back under the warm covers.

"You know,we still have awhile before our guest arrives and I can think of a much better way to spend it then staring into a dying fire." The monk smiled brightly as he pulled the brown-eyed beauty into his arms. "What a wonderful idea, my dear wife. Why waste such a perfect moment?"

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Stubborn dried leaves floated softly to the forest floor below, loosing their battle to hold on as limbs shook, freeing themselves of the last remnants of spring and summer. The demon's covered feet touching down for only a moment as he lept from tree to tree in the silence of pre morning. Strands of silver and the white of his moko-moko trailing behind him as he sped through the forest baring his name, as he carried on his playful race with the slowly rising sun.

The demon smirked, his heart lightening as the sun's rays began to softly fan through the evergreens and bare branches of the ginkgo and maple. A few hundred yards more and he would be able to see the village lying just beyond the forest...his forest.

He vaulted over the trees as he sped by a small meadow, keeping his eyes glued to the horizon as he struggled to ignore the well he knew lay just beyond these trees. His heart pounded louder with each tree he passed only to skip a beat when he unknowingly landed on one of the God tree's sturdy branches before pushing off with a burst of energy, clearing the canopy and squinting, only for a moment, as the sun's rays hit his golden eyes.

There in the distance, painted by the early morning sun was the village...their village. His breath caught for only moment before he landed in the tall fall grass that graced the hills surrounding the village.

He cleared his mind as he gently allowed his senses to stretch out over the village hoping, to find what he had come all this way for. His feet, with a mind of their own, carried him ever closer to the edge of the small village. "Ohayou gozaimasu." Inuyasha froze at the friendly greeting, looking up to see a young boy standing expectantly, at the edge of an empty rice paddy. "Don't you say hi to me kid! I'm a demon you should be getting your ass back inside not sayin' good morning." Inuyasha mockingly mimicked the kid's greeting in a high-pitched and overly friendly voice.

Inuyasha trudged up the frosty hillside, making his way towards the kid. "Oi, kid! You deaf or sumthin'?" He glared his golden eyes as the boy crossed his arms defiantly returning his gaze with a glare of his own. " Shouldn't you be sittin' in a hut somewhere annoying your mother." The boy scoffed as he kicked a small rock into the empty paddies. "I would be, but my mother sent me out here to wait for you."

Inuyasha stared at the kid, quizzically raising an eyebrow. "Wha?...what are you talking about? Who sen..." He looked up to watch as the boy made his way up the hill. "You coming or what...inu-ojisan?" The demon reeled at the new nickname, rushing to catch up to the boy. "Dammit kid! What the hell is all this 'inu-ojisan' crap?!" The boy shook his head slowly as they continued their way to the village sighing as he ignored the stares and whispers. "My name is Miyatsu. I am the only son born to my father, that's why I was the one sent out here to stand in the cold instead of one of my sisters."

Miyatsu scowled as he moved his crossed arms higher onto his chest. "I shouldn't complain though...I have grown up hearing much about you Inuyasha-ojisan. I must admit I wanted to be the first to meet you." The inu youkai turned towards the kid a disbelieving look on his face. 'This kid...wanted to meet me...first?'

"Hey kid...about earlier..."

"Don't worry about it. I knew what to expect." Inuyasha growled lowly at the kid's dismissal. "What's that supposed to mean?" Miyatsu shook his head as the two continued, passing Kaede's old hut. "You see that big hut...right there?" Inuyasha nodded as Miyatsu pointed forward. "That is my home."

The two walked in silence, trading side long glances as they made their way up to the large hut."Inuyasha! My old friend!" Inuyasha froze, the familiar greeting ringing in his ears, continuing on to stir up old memories. He lowered his head a small smirk on his face as he turned towards the happy voice. "Miroku, it's been awhile, ne?"

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Inuyasha sat quietly, his legs crossed and back against the wall as he listened to the loud laughter and excited chatter of Miroku and Sango's six children. "So many...kids." Miroku laughed at Inuyasha's glazed expression, shooing his children out, as his friend watched amazed at the amount of children that ran back and forth. "It has been many years, a lot of things have changed...not just you, my friend."

Inuyasha tore his gaze away from the laughing children as his old friend gently placed a small cup back on its tray. His aura laced with the slight longing that accompanied the mind's need to reminisce. "You have certainly changed, Inuyasha. Although it sounds, from my son's account, some things have stayed the same." The demon's heart lightened as his friend's laughter filled the room.

How long it had been since he had the chance to hear the voices of his friends...to enjoy their company. Sango's gentle voice reached through the silence as she handed the two men a bowl of steaming stew. "You certainly look much different. Surprisingly enough the armor suits you...I just can't believe you aren't running around bare foot anymore."

Inuyasha crossed his arms, glaring sidelong at Sango's teasing causing the couple to break out in laughter. "It seems to me much has stayed the same." The demon snorted at the two's laughter turning his attentions toward his super. "I was recruited into Sesshomaru's army. Now that I am full youkai...he thought it best for me to take my place as the late Inu No Taisho's younger son."

"I thought as much when we saw you leave with him." The three friends grew silent as they immersed themselves in thought. Inuyasha cleared his throat as he placed his bowl on the floor. "Kaede-baba?"

The two looked up at his quiet question, both men gazing into the fire as Miroku answered softly. "She is buried next to her sister's headstone, near the small shrine." Inuyasha nodded solemnly, poking the fire with a small stick. "When?"

Sango placed a hand on Miroku's shoulder, smiling softly before she spoke. "Not long after the last battle...She only lived to see two more winters." The room grew quiet leaving only the sound of the fire. "...And Shippou, what's the little snot up to these days?" Miroku sighed lowering his bowl. "He left for kitsune training...not even a year after everything happened. I suppose he felt...there was no real reason to stay. He has come to visit every now and then though and the kids are quite fond of him and look forward to his visits."

Inuyasha lowered his head, Miroku's words blending into the background as he drowned in his thoughts. 'I was right...I've waited too long. She must have a family of her own on the other side of the well. Children...a husband...I'm such an idiot!' Why else would Shippou leave? He knew as long as Kagome stayed in the village he would stay to protect her. Sango placed a gentle hand on his shoulder gently pulling him from his melancholly thoughts.

"Inuyasha?"

He looked back into the fire as he summoned the courage to form the words."Ka...Has she...gone back?" Sango smiled sadly at her friend as she kneeled beside him, her husband making his way to gather their children. "Inuyasha...she has gone...but not to where you believe her to be."

Golden eyes snapped open in horror as he searched Sango's brown eyes. Had he truly been too late? Did he have her brought back once only to die while he was away sulking? "Inuyasha! No, it's not what you think." Relief washed over the demon as he leaned his head against the wall. "You shouldn't scare me like that!"

Sango stood quietly making her way towards a darkened room. "I am sorry, Inuyasha...I didn't mean to scare you." He watched as she entered the darkened room and quietly came out carrying a small bundle. "She has gone, Inuyasha, but not to the other side of the well." Sango sat quietly, her legs folded as she gently placed the bundle in her lap.

"Not long after you left...Kagome went to the well. We all begged her not to, in fear of not seeing her again. Now...I feel so horrible for willing her to stay." Sango sniffed quietly as she focused her gaze on the small package. "She said she couldn't stay here...with all those memories eating away her will to move forward...The well...It denied her, Inuyasha...she was not allowed to return home."

Inuyasha watched as a small tear trailed down her face, free-falling onto her hands below. "Not even a month later she left the village. She left everything...from that year." Sango gripped the bundle, holding it to her chest before handing it to her friend. "She left this...for you, in case you ever came back." Inuyasha timidly reached for the package, watching as another tear trailed down Sango's face.

He stared at the bundle, his hand's refusing to open the fabric revealing the content's within. "Sango..." The former taijiya paused at the door frame as she made her way to prepare her young children for the cold night ahead. "Where is she?" Sango sighed heavily never turning to meet Inuyasha's gaze as she spoke softly.

"I failed once...as her friend, Inuyasha...and that failure caused her a heartache she didn't deserve...I WILL NOT...fail Kagome again." Inuyasha bowed his head as Sango made her way out of the room, leaving him with only his thoughts in the quiet room. 'I have no right to ask her...I was the one who left...I was the one who did this to Kagome.'

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The horizon glowed, a perfect picture painted with shades of red and yellow, providing the last bit of light to accompany the demon on his short trek. His footsteps were light as he made his way down the small path leading out of the village. "You'll find nothing there but sadness, my friend." Inuyasha turned to see an older man with a kind smile, his back hunched over as he supported himself with a small walking stick.

He couldn't remember who the man was or place his face in his memory but he nodded his head in acknowledgement regardless. He was well aware he wouldn't find anything but the traces of residual emotions surrounding the well and embedded within the wooden structure itself. He lifted his head as he made his way down the familiar path.

His palms bleeding as he squeezed his fists closed. Watching in silent torment as images played out in front of him. Every moment spent with her...the whiny little girl who broke the jewel, the girl who healed his heart from over a century of built up bitterness...the girl who gave her life for him...for all of them. Her smile plagued him as the memory of her danced around, leading him up the now overgrown path.

His breath caught as he finally broke through the trees, his foot landing in a meadow once filled with wild flowers and the laughter of an innocent girl having been replaced by fall grass and an empty heartache. He weaved his way slowly through the tall dry grass, his golden eyes never loosing contact with the overgrown well.

The comforting rays of the sun disappeared behind the horizon leaving in its place the melancholy hue of the winter moon. The moonlight bounced off his silver hair as he fell to his knees beside the well, his heart aching as he placed his arms on the rim providing a cushion as he lay his head down. The tall grass swayed with the cold wind, reflecting the pale moonlight as they danced to and fro.

He smiled sadly at the hazy apparition the moonlight molded just for him. Watching as the pale figure glided across the field finding her place across from him her elbows supported by the lip of the well as she held her head in her hands. "What are you looking for?"

He smiled sadly as he locked eyes with the beautiful apparition. "You...I'm looking for you." A small giggle resonated through the meadow as the pale figure smiled back shaking her head softly. "I'm right here, silly. What are you waiting for?" His brows furrowed as he looked down into the empty well. "I don't know where 'here' is...I...I don't know where you are."

Golden eyes squeezed shut as a small glowing hand reached for his cheek forcing him to look up at the moonlight's ghostly image. "Here? Here is so much closer than you think, Inuyasha." He watched with longing as the figure began to fade into a hazy mist, her smile still bright as she whispered softly."I've been waiting such a long time for you, don't leave me waiting any longer...'dog boy'"

Inuyasha sat quietly, smiling at the old nickname, burying his head in his arms dejectedly. "My mind is so cruel..."

'Come for me...Inuyasha.'

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Kagome lay still, her eyes gazing unseeingly at the ceiling. She payed no mind as soft tears trailed down her cheek, wetting her hair. The warmth of her quilts lending comfort as she slowly came down from her temporary high. She slowly turned her head to the side watching as the sun's rays warmed the fabric of her shoji.

"I'm looking for you..." Kagome squeezed her eyes shut releasing the last of her tears. As the quiet meeting from her dream replayed over and over. "Inuyasha...are you really looking?"