InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Windows on the West ❯ Saying Goodbye ( Chapter 31 )

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

Disclaimer:  I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.  O_O

~oOo~

Sesshoumaru growled warningly; Inuyasha completely ignored his warning and waited for Kagome to answer his question.  With an uneasy glance at her alpha, Kagome asked Inuyasha to wait, then moved over to Sesshoumaru and placed a timid hand on his arm.

Whispering, she said,  “I need to do this, you know.  Remember what you told me about Hojo?”  She waited as his eyes flickered and he nodded curtly, then finished,  “This is the same thing.  You know he's interested in that girl in the village, but he's still hanging on to me, and I have to finish those thoughts before he can move on.  So, please, don't be mad?”

Reluctantly, he decided she was right, and once again, nodded.  “You will not go far – you may take her to the river, Inuyasha, but no further,”  he said coolly, and though Inuyasha began to bristle angrily, Kagome shook her head warningly at him.

“Don't, Inuyasha.  Don't make me regret taking the kotodama off you.  Sesshoumaru-sama is my alpha, and you know what that means.”

The hanyou scowled angrily, but shut his mouth and shrugged, and Kagome moved to take his arm.  “Come on, Inuyasha, let's go talk.”  With that, she led him away, not noticing the golden glare that had plastered itself across Inuyasha's back.

Inuyasha was fully aware, though, and he threw a smug smirk over his shoulder at the daiyoukai, before turning and ignoring him as they entered the tree line and disappeared from sight.

Sesshoumaru was a bit frustrated.  They had stayed near the village for the last week, so that Kagome could reacquaint herself with her friends, and their lives since she had been gone.  But he was ready to leave – he wanted away from this place that he'd been held captive by for three years – and especially, he wanted away from his brother.  

Flat out, he didn't want the whelp anywhere near the miko.

As far as he was concerned, Inuyasha was perfectly suited to a poor village wench, and he was all for the brat marrying someone from the village he claimed as his.  

Kagome, however, he wasn't worthy of, and he would never allow that union to take place.  

He reflected that it was a good thing that the priestess had come to somewhat of the same conclusion herself during her years spent away – he would not like to fight with her about it.

But he would have, if it had come to that.

At any rate, he decided, once she returned from her talk with the boy, he would be taking his pack and going back to what it was natural for him to do...

Wandering.

This night, they would be camping far from the village of Inuyasha, he promised himself.  Satisfied with that thought, he relaxed into his tree, and waited for his miko to return.

The thought that she was his miko just sneaked into his thoughts on silent feet, as it were, and he didn't even consciously notice the possessive term.  But it wouldn't be long before he did consciously notice it...

And then he would have a whole lot of uncomfortable thinking to do.

~oOo~

Kagome smiled up at Inuyasha as they walked, remembering so many other times they'd spent together, and sighed.  Patting his arm affectionately, she noticed a pretty spot on the bank of the slow-moving river, and motioned for him to sit with her.

They were both silent for a bit, just watching the river flow by, but finally, Inuyasha broke the silence.  “You came back to be with the bastard, didn't you?”  he sighed, not looking at her, unable to meet her eyes.

Kagome frowned a bit, clasping her hands over her knees, she nodded.  “Well, yes, I mean... he promised that we would travel together, since we both are going to have really long lives.  I didn't want to be alone, you know... watching everyone I knew getting old and dying.”  She flushed a bit, suddenly sad eyes wandering over her hanyou best friend.  “I'm even going to outlive you, Inuyasha... and that's something that hit me hard back when I first found out about my near immortality.”

The hanyou nodded miserably; that was something he really hadn't even thought about – she would, indeed, live longer than he, and in that moment, he knew she was better of with Sesshoumaru.  He would be around the same length of time as she would be, and so he'd be able to protect her, whereas he, Inuyasha, would one day die, leaving her alone.

He never wanted her to be alone.

With a dejected sigh, he let his eyes run over her appreciatively – she'd been a pretty girl before, but since she'd returned, he'd been unable to help noticing how beautiful she'd turned out to be once she was fully matured.  He wasn't the only one who'd noticed, either – half the men in the village had been staring at her, and had only stayed away due to her very dangerous guardian hovering over her threateningly.

His bastard of a brother had definitely noticed her fully bloomed beauty, as well, though he'd probably deny it to hell and back, he'd seen the look in Sesshoumaru's eyes as they'd rested on his best friend... he was attracted.  And suddenly, Inuyasha knew Kagome's fate...

Sesshoumaru would fall to Kagome's charms, and he'd be the one to get her, because heavens knew, Kagome was just as attracted to him, though neither of them was really aware yet of their feelings.  He almost wished he was still traveling with them so he could watch his inept brother come to terms with his feelings for Kagome... a human miko.

He found that he could find some humor in the situation, even though he was losing any chance with the beautiful woman, he had to laugh at the fate's decisions for his brother – caught like a fish out of water by a human woman.

How ironic could you get?

With a light sigh, he looked over at Kagome again, and smiled a little, though it still hurt.  “It looks like you're better off with the bastard, though I hate to say it.  At least he'll be around to protect you, like I won't be able to.  And you'll have Shippo, too.  It never occurred to me before, ya know – that difference between me and Sesshoumaru... and now, you too.  You'll still be young and beautiful when I'm old and getting ready for my grave.”

Kagome shivered at that thought, hating it.  She didn't want to think of him dying.  Pushing it away, she said,  “Let's not think on things like that, Inuyasha, after all, you still have a long life ahead of you.  I just want to see you happy-”  she grinned slyly at him and nudged him with her shoulder,   “-and don't think I haven't seen the moony eyes you and Kimi keep passing at each other.”  She laughed outright at his spluttering and blush.

She would be a good match for the hanyou – a widow with no children and still young and pretty, her choice of husband this time around was her own, and marrying the village protector would give her a certain status; hanyou or no, no one would deride her choice.

With another laugh, Kagome stood and brushed her bottom off, and held out her hand to Inuyasha, pulling him to his feet as he refused to meet her gaze, still blushing furiously.  

At peace with each other, and the fates they had chosen, the two walked companionably back to where Sesshoumaru waited, arm in arm and content.

The last bit of unfinished business between them was now done, and it was time to move on... time to go their separate ways, though they would always be friends, and would undoubtedly see each other many, many times in the years to come, they had sundered their fates from each other as a couple, knowing it was for the best.

Inuyasha, would, however, always carry some regret...

Within an hour of the two returning to Sesshoumaru, the daiyoukai and his pack were gone from the village of Edo, heading into the unknown.

Sesshoumaru was once more at peace, and pleased...

The miko was now his pack fully, with no other claims on her, family or friend.

It was about time.

~oOo~

A/N:  I like this ending to the traditional Inuyasha/Kagome pairing – no fighting, and no one left hurting and alone.  

Amber


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