InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fragment of Eternity ❯ His Parting Words ( Chapter 13 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: ::sings:: If I owned Inu-Yasha. . . I would rub his ears in the morning. . . I would rub them in the evening. . . all over this land. ^_^

Author's Note: Hey, guys. Sorry for the lapse in update. Apart from being busy (as usual), ff.net was screwing up. For a while my number of reviews would go up, but I was neither be able to see them on the site or on my e-mail account (they weren't being sent to me). So I didn't know what anybody thought or anything. And then ff.net started to send me reviews again: the same five over and over and over. -_-; So I haven't had much incentive to access ff.net or anything. In addition, I've been working on a Valentine's day/White day fic for everyone, and- knowing me- I need to get that done ahead of time if anyone wants to see it done before the 14th. ^_^;;;;

Anyway. . .

Since I didn't get to see many reviews (*cough cough*) I really don't know if there are questions or not. A few people keep mentioning they thing Inu would have been stronger than suicide or what not, and, once again, I say: He had a good reason. We'll discuss it later. (Not to say I don't agree with you, though.)

Um. . .

I guess that's all. ^_^

Please enjoy, and no killing the authoress. Remember- if you kill me, I can't update. ^_^;;;;;;;;;

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~Fragment of Eternity~

Chapter Thirteen: His Parting Words

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Much to Kagome's happiness, the rain that had left her yard a swampy mess had decided not returned. A good thing, too, since one more rainstorm like that probably would have started a flood. Still, clouds of dark gray continued to hang in the sky; casting the town (and probably the cities near by) into semi-darkness. A cold wind blasted through, sending the few leaves left upon trees scattering in an instant. Kag leaned against the cold glass of the bay window, a cup of warm cocoa in her hands, watching the trees shake and groan. Fall was certainly taking its toll on the world this year.

The girl sighed softly, slowly straightening herself and taking a deep sip from her mug. It was rather quiet around the house, now that Sango and Miroku weren't here, but not *too* quiet, as she had feared it would be. There was always at least *some* noise. Inu-Yasha was pretty loud as ghosts go.

Kag suddenly blinked, lowering her drink from her lips.

Speaking of Inu. . . Where was he?

*

Inu-Yasha silently looked out upon the almost-barren land, contemplating- - - well, nothing really. But it sounded more intelligent to say he was `contemplating' rather than `just sitting on his ass and watching the leaves'. Though he supposed he was thinking a little bit- mainly about a certain woman who was making her way towards him.

"Inu-Yasha. . . ?" Kikyo called, one petite hand cupped over her mouth. "Inu-Yasha, I know you're here. Come out and walk with me."

The hanyou chuckled softly, causing the miko to whirl around and fix him with a gray eyed gaze. He stretched in the branches of the tree, regarding her in an almost lazy- but playful- fashion. "Sharp as ever, I see."

"Come down and walk," the girl commanded with a small smile, hands on her hips. Inu blinked once.

She looked. . .

Very much like Kagome. . . when she did that.

Or would it be the other way around. . . ?

Whatever.

Pushing the thought out of his mind all together, he just smirked. "I don't know if I want to."

Kikyo frowned, crossing her arms over her chest and faking a pout. "Why won't you join me? I'll make it worth your while. . ."

Inu-Yasha's ear perked slightly as he dangled his feet off the edge of a branch, looking seriously into her sparkling eyes. "Hm? How so. . . ?"

The miko simply smiled, winking at him. "Come walk with me and find out." She blew him a small kiss before turning her back to him, slowly strolling down the orchard path.

The boy quickly hopped out of his tree to join her.

*

"Inu-Yaaaaaaaaaaasha!" Kagome cried, hands cupped around her mouth as she yelled up the attic steps. "Inu-Yasha? Are you up there?"

There was no reply.

Should she go up and check herself. . . ? She could say sorry if he- - -

After a few moments of thought, she shook her head no. If he *was* in the attic and he caught her. . . She probably wouldn't be alive to ask for forgiveness. Besides, he probably would have already screeched at her for disturbing his peace if he had heard her.

Turning away from the small hallway, the girl walked slowly through each room; keeping a sharp eye out for the wiggle of doggy ears or the swish of silver hair. Perhaps a flash of angry, golden eyes. . . Anything that would help her gauge where the spirit was. It wasn't like him to remain so silent. Was he mad again?

`Oh, I'm just being stupid,' the girl through angrily as she stopped before the bay window- the starting point of her search. `Why should I care where he is? He's a big boy- he can take care of himself. Besides, it's not like he could end up dead or something.' She smiled slightly at her own joke, despite the fact that it was a pretty bad one. Hey- where you're in a stage of denial, you tend to deny everything.


But while she was busy denying the fact that she wasn't very funny, she realized something she hadn't really wanted to realize: she was still nervous about Inu's whereabouts. Sure, he was a spirit- not much could hurt him- but what if he ran into the Ghostbusters or something?! Anything was possible in this little town. . .

That. . .

And she sort of. . .

Missed him.

"Wait," she said aloud, oblivious to the fact that she was talking to herself. "How can I MISS him? He's not even gone to miss! Besides, when did I start worrying so much about that pompous moron?! When did he become a friend?!"

~ "Thank you," Inu-Yasha repeated quietly, quickly averting his gaze. "Thank you for. . . helping me. You pushed aside your fears just to assist *me*. No one's ever done that for me before. So. . .

Thank you. . .

Kagome."~

~`Inu-Yasha. . . how could you take your own life like that? What could have happened to you that was so terrible? Why would you commit suicide?'

She felt a sick burning in the pit of her stomach, along with a numb tingling in her finger and her heart.

She'd never really grasped the meaning of that word. . . Suicide. . .

But . . .

Right now. . .~

~ And then she wrapped her arms around it, allowing a single tear to splatter against its worn threads.~

~ "She had natural talent." He chuckled softly, looking down at Kagome's picture. "Just like. . . you."~

~ . . . That made him smile in return.~

. . .

Kagome swallowed hard, turning to face the window- - -

When her eyes caught a flash of blood-red cloth leaping out of a tree.

Inu-Yasha.

Without a thought, the girl raced towards the door- not even stopping to grab a coat.

*

"Kikyo," Inu-Yasha began as he caught up with his perished love, "where have you been?"

"At the place I'm residing," the girl replied without really answering. "I have a home, too, you know. I don't just wander the earth with no purpose."

"You sit in a building with no purpose, instead?"

Kikyo turned on him, looking slightly hurt as she came to a stop. "Is that what you think? That I'm here for no reason? Don't you like having me around?"

The hanyou jumped, shocked at her words. Where was she getting this from? He grabbed the miko's shoulders forcefully, shaking her gently so as to make his point. "No! I never said that, nor would I ever! I LIKE having you around, Kikyo! I LOVE having you around!" He stared seriously down at her, his face reflected in her stormy orbs as she stared up at him, lips parted slightly in surprise at his sudden actions. Then a small smile overtook her as she wrapped her own arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

"Just making sure. . ." she murmured, in slight amusement as she raised herself up on her tip toes- slowly closing the space between them as Inu-Yasha began to lean forward; eyes closing gently. "I love you, Inu-Yasha. . . Your life- death- belongs to me. . ."

"I am yours. . ." he whispered. "And you are mine. . ."

"Yes. . ."

Their lips touched hungrily- - -

As Kagome, hidden behind a tree, fell to her knees in blank shock.

*

Kikyo's eyes suddenly snapped open.

She could feel it- the unmistakable sensation of her life force being snatched away. That could only mean one thing.

Her reincarnation.

`Damn her!' the miko mentally snarled, her eyes snapping open and narrowing in intense dislike. Knowing she didn't have long until she was sucked back into the wench's body, the dead woman quickly broke the kiss with her beloved.

Inu-Yasha blinked in surprise as Kikyo suddenly pulled away from his embrace, a look of remorse clouding her misty gray eyes.

"Kikyo- - - ?"

"I'm sorry, Inu-Yasha," she whispered, her voice aching with sadness as she took quick, shaky steps backwards. "But I must go. I don't have much time now that *she's* here. . ."

Inu blinked again, this time in utter confusion as Kikyo rushed away. "She- - - ?"

Oh shit.

He quickly whirled around, staring at a nearby tree. "Kagome. . . You're here, aren't you?"


Behind that tree, the girl in question swallowed hard. Suddenly, everything seemed to magnify in intensity: Her sense of hearing- touch. . . Her hands ached more than ever, her knees felt incredibly numb- and she was sure it wasn't from the cold. She had a feeling it had more to do with being discovered.

Yes.

She was caught, she was afraid-

But most of all, she was hurt.

She felt betrayed.

But why. . . ?

Swallowing hard, the teen trembled with nerves as the icy wind sliced through her thin clothes. She felt an all-too familiar prickle in the corner of her eye. Oh gods- she wasn't going to start crying, was she. . . ? Why did she want to cry?

Maybe because she felt like she had just been stabbed in the back by a close friend. . .

"Kagome- come out," Inu-Yasha commanded, though he very much doubted she would listen. He was suddenly feeling guilty- whether it be over the fact that Kikyo had almost been hurt and he hadn't been able to help her, or because Kagome had probably seen - and heard- everything that had just taken place.

Kag bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut as she got slowly to her feet, bracing herself against the tree. She could no longer feel her legs. . .

"Kagome. . ."

Her eyes snapped up in shock.

Inu-Yasha stood right in front of her, a solemn look in his eyes. Their gaze locked for a moment as Kag's grip on the bark slipped. Then her eyes slowly left his, her bangs falling in front of her face as a brisk breeze rushed through, further covering the sun.

`. . .

After all I've done for him. . .' She steeled her grip. `All I've told him. . .

All he's told me.

How. . .


How can he. . . how can he make such a. . .

Why. . . ?

Why would he. . .'

"Kagome. . ." he frowned, slowly taking a step forward. She flinched, refusing to look up at him. "Kagome, say something." He didn't understand why her seeing him with Kikyo made him feel this way. He had nothing to apologize for- but all the same he wanted to make sure Kagome was okay.

A brief silence overtook them. Then:


"You. . ." she whispered, voice trembling as she slowly lifted her chin- her eyes flashing as a tear trickled down her pale cheek. "You. . ." she tried again, clenching a trembling hand and lifting it to her side. "You. . .

YOU *JERK*!"

!

Inu-Yasha's mouth fell open in surprise as Kagome's hand came flying at him. Had he possessed skin, he was very sure that the loud `CRACK' of a hand on flesh would have echoed through the grove. As it was however, Kag's hand simply flew through one cheek and out the other, never loosing it's momentum as she stumbled slightly.

Well. . .

At least it was pretty obvious how she felt about it, now.

His shocked face slowly slackened as her hurt gaze bored into his. Hot, crystalline tears were splattering on the ground as they fell from her chin; the rivers pouring from her eyes never stopping.

"Kagome. . ." he tried again, his voice sounding rather pained.

"*JERK*!" she screamed once more, cutting him off with a shake of her head and another attempted slap. But just like last time, her hand simply went through him. A soft growl escaped her lips as she leaned forward, using both palms as the ghost simply stood there, allowing her to try and smack him-

Just like he probably deserved.

Though why he felt like he deserved it, he didn't know. He had *enjoyed* being with Kikyo- holding her again. Yet at the same time, he knew it probably wasn't a sight many would have wanted to witness- especially when that someone witnessing it had been the same person he had made blush only the day before.

"*JERK*!" Kag cried, accompanying each repetitive insult with a round of useless attacks. "*JERK*!

*JERK*!

JERK!

JERK!" she continued, her blows becoming wilder as her sobbing voice began to give out on her. "Jerk!

Jerk!

Jerk - - -!

Jerk- - !

Jerk - !

Jerk. . ."

She crumpled.

She didn't even try and brace herself this time.

She simply collapsed to the cold, hard, forest floor; tears trickling down her freezing skin as her heart pounded painfully in her chest.

Why did this mean so much to her?

"Kagome. . ."

Kag automatically stiffened, refusing to give in to the desire to turn and face him.

"Kagome, look at me," the ghost all but pleaded as he knelt down in front of her. She did not.

. . .

Inu-Yasha sighed irritably, straightening and brushing off his knees. "Fine. Whatever. Be a crybaby. I don't care."

The girl's fingers clenched into fists as the spirit turned his back to her. A crybaby. . . She was not a crybaby! She wasn't - - - ! Crybaby's cried for no reason! And she- - - she. . .

. . .

Suddenly, before she could stop the words from escaping her lips, she heard her voice fill the air:

"Why. . . ?!"

Inu stopped, looking down at her from over his shoulder. "Huh?"

"Why?!" Kagome whispered harshly, choking on her waterlogged words. Maybe she *was* a crybaby. . . "Why do you still chase her?!" Why did this mean so much to her? Couldn't Inu-Yasha have Kikyo as his love and keep her as a friend- if she even *was* a friend to him. And why did she feel like she couldn't stand him to have them both? "She's dead!" Couldn't he just let her incarnation go? "She's DEAD, Inu-Yasha!"

The spirit regarded the girl silently for a moment, before turning away once more.

". . .

So am I."

. . .

Kagome's eyes widened.

He was, wasn't he. . . ?


Slowly lifting her gaze, the teen's eyes locking on the back of the hanyou's head.

For a moment. . . As stupid as it sounded- she had. . . she had. . .

When she saw them, embracing. . .


She had forgotten Inu-Yasha was dead.

"Inu- - -" she tried, but he didn't seem to want to talk anymore- if he had ever wanted to in the first place.

"Stop crying," he cut her off with a soft sigh. His hands clenched at his sides as he walked off, back towards the house. "I'm. . .

I'm not worth your tears."

With that, he left her in the orchard; his parting words the only comfort. His parting words the only sound.

`Inu-Yasha. . .'


His parting words the only reason her tears refused to stop.


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You know what's weird? I can never write this fic without drinking hot chocolate. . . ^_^;;;

Please R&R!

Ja ne!