InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Where Silence Meant Everything ❯ The Epilogue ( Chapter 17 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Kagome jumped into the water of the hot spring and slid down the rock behind her. Shippou was splashing water on her and laughing while Sango just sat back, enjoying the relaxing warm water.

It had been a long journey, but she was finally filling out again, just barely fitting back into her usual school outfits. Sango had also gained her missing weight back.

They had joked that ninja food was secretly made for fat ninjas. Shippou just gasped and cried saying it would be Inu-Yasha’s fault if he got fat.

“Sango-chan, this is nice, huh?”

Shippou swam toward the older girl in the small baby float Kagome had bought for him. “Hai, Kagome-chan.”

Kagome sighed. Sango, she knew, was still a bit unsettled after their latest face-off with Naraku. She’s told Kagome that they couldn’t even be sure that his ashes (which still were in the jewel) wouldn’t resurrect themselves.

“I told you, he’s stuck there, Sango-chan. His soul is trapped between layers of Hell and he suffers every waking minute.”

Sango laughed a bit. “Hai, Hai.”

Shippou smiled broadly. “Plus you got me to defend ya’!”

This time Sango’s laugh was full on, “Is that so?”

“Yeah!” The two laughed together and Kagome smiled.

Things were finally back to normal… normal…

Kikyou had died along with Naraku, and the piece of Kagome’s soul that Kikyou had stolen and tainted seemed to have been purified. Kagome had no trouble eating anymore (Inu-Yasha was frequently trying to have “Eating Challenges” with her) and she had once again given that lively flush in her cheeks.

Inu-Yasha and her had come to terms with what had happened and made a pact with each other that they would allow each other to work out whatever they needed to separately before getting back together again. It would be a while, Kagome knew, until Kikyou was truly out of Inu-Yasha’s thoughts, but he’d adamantly denied that he had envisioned Kikyou the night they’d made love.

Kagome wanted to believe him, she really did, but it was in such dark circumstances that she didn’t know what even she’d been thinking at the time. She had tried fooling herself into believing that Inu-Yasha wouldn’t accept her as she was. It seemed ironic to her that she’d tried for two years straight making him believe she accepted him for both his youkai and human half.

But that was all beside the real issue, anyways.

After the trip into the Shikon no Tama, Kagome had slept for a week only getting up to eat and relieve herself when absolutely necessary. Afterwards, she went to see her mother (under “Mother-hen” Inu-Yasha’s eye, of course) and told her everything that had happened. Her mother was more than willing to bring her daughter to a doctor, but somehow Inu-Yasha convinced her that it wasn’t important.

He mother insisted that Kagome go back to Sengoku Jedai that afternoon, and even packed her bag for her. It surprised Kagome, but she knew her mother wouldn’t ever do something harmful to her own health, so she’d kissed her mother and allowed Inu-Yasha to drag her back down the well.

“Hello? Hello? Earth to Kagome-chaaaan!” Sango was in her face waving.

Kagome smiled, “Ah Gomenasai!”

“No, I just wanted to let you know that I’m heading back, Shippou is tired.”

Kagome smiled again and nodded. “Okay, I’ll follow you guys in a bit, okay?”

Sango nodded and threw her cotton kimono over her body. She flipped her hair and tied it up in her trademark ponytail, high on her head. “Don’t be too long, Kagome-chan. It’ll be dark soon.”

“Hai.”

Sango picked up the kitsune and they began talking and joking before they were out of earshot. Kagome dipped her head under the water. She came up slowly and rested her head against the tall rock behind her.

She heard a small mew next to her ear and she giggled. “Kirara, I knew Sango would send you to watch me.” Kagome turned to face the cat and rested her cheek on her hand. “It’s been a long two weeks, huh Kirara?”

The cat youkai nodded and licked Kagome’s face. Kagome just giggled once again and stared off again, petting the cat’s ears.

~*~

Inu-yasha glared at Miroku from across the campfire. “Oi, it’s not like I asked him to come with us, you know.”

Miroku waved his speech off. “Inu-Yasha, you do not know the power of subtlety, do you?”

“The fuck’s subtlety, Houshi?”

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. “Once more the half-breed has no class.”

“I fucking told you, bastard. Insult me again and Totosai’s taking your kid.”

Rin gasped. “Totosai doesn’t take Rin!” The little girl lost interest quickly and bounded off, singing her favourite song. “Jaken oh Jaken! Why oh why are you so Green!”

“Keh!”

“Half-breed… ”

“Idiots.”

Both brother glared at the Houshi and he got up in a flourish. “Fine, I’ll have to find my, Oh Sango! There you are my beautiful wife!”

Sango smacked the side of his head and put a hand to her red cheek. ‘I’m not your wife! And don’t touch me there!”

Inu-Yasha doubled up in laughter and Sesshoumaru raised a brow.

Thing shad been relatively normal for the small tatchi lately. Thing shad slowed down with the second disappearance of Naraku, but the group still was on alert all the time.

It wasn’t too long after Kagome had started recovery when Kouga had shown himself again. He had declared that it was time to take Kagome out of Inu-Yasha’s “incapable” hands.

Inu-Yasha remind him who had saved his ass last time Naraku had hunted down his pack. That sent Kouga right back where he came from. It was only a few days more when Kaede had been able to get some rest. The shouki which had been making the villagers sick, had been purified by Kagome immediately after they’d returned. Kagome had insisted that before she sleep, she needed to make sure that mother and their children faired well.

He’d loved her all the more for that.

While she was sleeping, he’d done some serious thinking about the future of their relationship and what he wanted from it. He realized that, in one form or another, he had to be by Kagome’s side.

Even though the state of their relationship was rocky at best, he was willing to lay down all of his damned pride to be with her. That said something, right?

It occurred to him that Kagome was not with the Taiji-ya. “Oi, Sango. Where’s Kagome?”

“She’s still in the Hot Spring,” Shippou replied, “But Kirara is there.”

Inu-Yasha nodded and stood. No one said anything to him as he walked off in the vague direction her knew the Hot Springs to be in. Kagome had told Sango what had happened between them, so naturally, the whole knew by the next sunrise.

Miroku cleared his throat and tried striking up a conversation. A conversation that got his head pummeled in by his fiancé.

Inu-Yasha walked slowly to the Springs, gathering his thoughts together. As he made it there, he watched Kagome petting the small cat youkai’s ears and speaking softly, a very Kagome-like smiled upon her face.

He couldn’t help but smile as he approached her. It was uncharacteristic of him, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. It was like when that damned Kagura snuck up on him.

“Hey…” Kagome jumped in surprise a bit and Kirara jumped up, ready to defend her mistress.

Kagome let out a small breath. “Jeez, Inu-Yasha you scared me.”

He sunk down to his usual position, Tetsusaiga laying lightly against his shoulder. Kirara bounded over her to him and settled in his lap. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I was just getting out, just give me a minute.”

Inu-Yasha blushed a bit. “No, it’s okay. You can stay. I just didn’t want you out here by yourself.”

Kagome smiled, full force. “Arigatou, Inu-Yasha!”

She put her head down in her hands. There was a few moments of silence in which the crickets and night creatures could be heard coming out from their day slumber.

“Sorry, Inu-Yasha…”

Inu-Yasha looked up from the cat youkai in his lap. “Hmm?”

Kagome looked down. ‘I should have told you, back then. I know you would have helped me if you knew. I shouldn’t have dragged you into the jewel like that.”

“Stop talkin’ about nothing, Kagome.” Inu-Yasha sighed. “Naraku was alive, if you hadn’t stayed in the damn jewel he would have killed more people here.”

Kagome was surprised by his tiny bit of thanks. She still smiled softly.

There was another bout if silence between the two. There was a bit of spashing from the water and Inu-Yasha looked up to see Kagome. And he saw her, for the first time in his life he truly saw her.

“Kagome…” His voice was a strained whisper. Her milky skin glowed softly under the moon and her scent was stronger than ever. She truly looked radiant. Since that night, Kagome had no issues that she’d had before about states of undress and Inu-Yasha. She just figured he’d seen anything important anyways.

Kagome looked to Inu-Yasha as she wrapped a towel around herself.

The heated look in his gaze surprised her, but she quickly recovered. “Inu-Yasha, just give me a minute, okay?”

Inu-Yasha swallowed thickly and nodded. He cast his face back towards his lap. He wasn’t paying attention as she slowly made her way to his back. She rested her hands on her shoulders and her head rested between his strong shoulder blades. He rested a hand on top of hers. “Just like back then, ne?”

Inu-Yasha closed his eyes and nodded.

“I’ll stay with you, even if you don’t love me like her.”

“You are perfect, Inu-Yasha, just the way you are.”

“Kagome, we’ve been avoiding this for too long.”

Kagome just nodded. “I’m afraid,” she whispered.

Inu-Yasha laughed a bit. “You? Our mighty miko girl wonder? Afraid?”

Kagome scowled.

“Are you afraid because of me, Kagome?”

“Never.”

“Then what?”

Kagome sighed. She knew it was coming. “I know that you loved Kikyou, Inu-Yasha. I know sometimes, late at night, you still think of her. When you look at me you see her sometimes. Sometimes,” She admitted slowly, “it hurts…”

He gripped her hand a bit tighter. Kirara jumped off of his lap and started toward the camp site. “When I look at Kagome, I see Kagome.”

His voice was low. She smiled a bit. “That makes me less scared.”

“Kikyou is Kikyou. Kagome is Kagome.”

“You are not just her reincarnation. Kagome is Kagome.”

She smiled warmly and lifter herself from his back. “Thank you, Inu-Yasha.”

He grunted in response and stood. “I think I heard something about Ramen earlier, didn’t I?”

Kagome laughed as she pulled the towel off and slid her panties and skirt on. “Of course you did, Inu-Yasha. Since that’s all you hear.”

She finished dressing and began walking back to the camp. He caught up to her in only a few strides and grabbed hold of her warm hand.

‘We will be like this forever. Inu-Yasha and I… I will not seal the well until I’m ready to die…’

Kagome smiled. “Inu-Yasha, stay with me…”

He looked puzzled, “I already said that, wench. Besides who else is gonna’ save your ass when you’re playing Damsel in Distress, huh?”

Kagome laughed. “Thanks.”

Inu-Yasha smiled and squeezed her hand a bit tighter.

“Kagome-mama’s back! Ramen for everyone!”

Kagome groaned as Inu-Yasha and Shippou cheered and Miroku got himself knocked out again. Sango started laughing when Jaken came running straight into camp, flowers around every little part on his body, Rin singing behind him.

“Jaken, oh Jaken. Why oh why are you so green?”

~Fin

It has been an exhilarating journey, everybody. I’m so excited to close this last chapter with high spirits for all my FanFictions.

With love to all those who have supported me, I conclude this chapter of my life. It started as muse almost a year ago, and I’m so proud of making it this far. This has been my baby for so long, and I’m extremely proud to see it grow up and leave the nest.

Thank you so much everyone who has read. I will never forget your kind words to me, and the 5000 views I got. Now if all those people had just reviewed…. Hmm.
*Researches Brain-washing techniques…*