InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Under a Crimson Sky ❯ The other side of the door ( Chapter 13 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: Another belated chapter...

The Other Side of the Door

Streaks of violet stained the sky, sleepy stars overhead slowly waking. A concerned monk feigned a smile for the woman who turned her head to speak, only losing the words the moment she looked into his face. A sleeping kitsune snuggled into warm violet robes, breathing softly.

He knows just as I do that we won't make it in time. Kohaku…wait…for me.

Miroku sighed as he watched her shoulders tremble; he had a good idea what thoughts were coursing through her head and fervently wished for her sake that they'd make it in time.

“Miroku.” She whispered without turning.

“Hai, Sango?” a sudden rush of fear flashed in the monk's eyes at the tone of her voice.

“There is a village up ahead; I want you and Shippo to stay there tonight. If all goes well, I should be back by sundown tomorrow. This…” she gulped, “Is something I must do alone.”

Outrage replaced fear, his eyes glowing in emotion. He grabbed her shoulder, firm but gentle, jostling the young demon in his robes but not waking him.

“Sango, we are doing this together.” What he lacked in words he made up for with the pleading look in his violet eyes.

She couldn't meet his gaze and simply turned her back to him pursing her thighs to signal Kirara to land at the gate of the small village below, curious peasants pointing in their direction.

He knows…he knows that I intend to end my life if I'm too late.

“Sango?Sango look at me!” he placed his hand on her cheek trying as he may to get her to face him.

“I'm not letting you go alone; I know what you intend to do if all else fails. I won't allow it. You cannot bring back the dead with your blood; neither can it heal the hurt in your heart. You must honor the life of your brother by living on. I am but a Buddhist monk, the preservation of life is my job. Demo…but that's not the only reason I'm pleading for you to listen to me…I lov…”

“Stop it Houshi-sama!…there is nothing you can do to stop me. If Kohaku dies, I die…”

“NO! Do you understand what you're saying? How does killing yourself make any sense? What about Kagome-sama, Sango?…imagine what this would do to her, she's like a sister to you for Kami's sake!”

“This talk does not suit you. This is coward's talk…”

“Stop it! Don't talk like you understand what I'm going through…how could you?”

Sango inwardly flinched at the effect her last words were having on him. She trembled as she watched his eyes cloud over as his hand dropped to his side only to clench his robes.

He took a deep breathe and exhaled, shutting his eyes as he relieved haunting memories of the past.

“My father died right before my eyes. His death will become my death. If I can learn to live with that, you can live as well.”

Her lip trembled as she realized what she has said. A solitary tear slid down her cheek only to be caught by the lips of the man before her.

Her eyes opened wide as all the heat in her body rushed to her face. He trailed tear sweetened kisses down her neck, stopping at her collarbone and pulled back to gaze into her eyes.

“I love you Sango, please live…live for this selfish monk.”

Fresh tears sprung from her hazel brown eyes at his last words.

Someone loves me...?

He silently watched as the miko bent her waist at the river's side, taking a cool clean drink from its depths.

She slowly raised herself, flickering rays from the falling sun filtering through her raven black locks. Inu-Yasha obediently sat at the base of a nearby tree, leaning heavily on his sword as whispers of the past coarsed through his mind. His breathing became labored as the images became clearer, he saw a woman adorned in strange clothing, a blur of green and white. A gentle voice sounded in his ears forcing the gate which sealed his memories closed. “Inu…Yasha…?” His pupils dilated as he quickly brought himself out of his trance, clearly finished, Kikyo climbed up the embankment and made her way to him.

This woman…I know this voice...

“Inu-Yasha, we will rest for the night…”

Ka…gome…?

“Come; let us sleep together in the branch of this tree. It has been too long since we last slept that way, ne?”

I remember…

Kikyo peered into his forlorn face, taking in every nuance and movement. Her eye twitched as a look of recognition danced across his features. Quickly she fell into his arms, knocking his sword from his grasp and placed her hand on the back of his neck, massaging the area where the tainted shard was embedded. A cold blank stare washed the warmth from his amber eyes as the memories fell out of his grasp.

“Inu-Yasha…you are making me wait.”

“Gomen, Kikyo.”

He gently scooped her into his arms and quickly settled his back against the base of the tree as the miko nestled her face into the crook of his neck.

“Ka….go…meeeeeeee…..” fretted the obviously perturbed wolf prince.

“Kouga, if you..would…just….keep…still…”

“OUCH! What are you trying to do to me woman!”

“I saaaaaid….if you would just keep still this will be over and done with in a second!”

“But surely, was ripping the bandages in one swipe really necessary?”

“Nooooo ……and yes.”

“It got your attention though didn't it?”

He rolled his sapphire blue eyes and sighed while she finished removing the last of the bandages.

“Sugoi! This is amazing! All your wounds are completely healed as if nothing ever happened!” She poked his chest in curiosity, “There isn't even scar tissue!”

“Haven't I told you before that youkai heal fast, weren't you even listen…?”

He stopped in mid-sentence as she traced her hands across his warm skin, recognizing the pattern of her breath. The pace of his heart quickened as she looked into his liquid blue orbs. He cupped her face and brought her down amongst the furs, lovingly moving stray hairs from her face.

She blushed under his careful attention and began stroking the length of his back. He kissed her jaw, tracing its outline as he grasped her free hand, interlocking their fingers. His heated breath was coming over her in waves as he hungrily searched for her mouth. She momentarily gasped when his tongue sought entrance and moaned as it speedily went to work tracing circles in her mouth.

Kagome…my Kagome…

A streak of moonlight snuck into the cave from a far recess, dimly illuminating the two figures as they professed their love through the night.

Naraku lay shirtless on his futon as a maid clothed in a simple kimono fanned his outstretched body in the humid heat of night. She inwardly flinched as he undid his trousers and lay unadorned by cloth on his bed.

Everything is going according to plan. Just a few shards more until the completion of the Shikon jewel…just a few shards more until I attain true power…

Kirara quickly transformed to kitten size and hopped onto Sango's shoulder as she knocked on the door of a quiet inn. An elderly lady gingerly opened the door and peered at the potential clients recognizing a monk among them.

“Welcome! Welcome!” she happily croaked as she led them to the through the doorway into a small tatami room.

Sango pulled out a silk satchel from underneath a recess in her pink armor as she spoke, “A room for two please.”

“Oh, so sorry but I only have one room remaining tonight. Do you still wish to take it? It's quite spacious and has a folding screen which can be pulled to separate the room for privacy.”

“We'll take it, thank you very much.” Miroku eyed her quietly, noticing how her demeanor had slightly changed.

The elderly lady lead them to a room which fit her earlier description and bid the travelers farewell as her offer of a light evening snack was politely refused. Neither Sango nor Miroku felt that they could stomach anything just yet, both clearly still upset over the evening's earlier events.

Miroku pulled out the folding screen, quietly undressed, and let out a deep yawn as he made himself comfortable. He silently cursed the opposing screen, wishing the elderly lady didn't bring it up.

Silvery hot tears streamed from the corner of Sango's eyes and made their way down the sides of her face, some uncomfortably into her ear. Shippo snuggled into Kirara's belly as he drifted into deeper sleep, totally unaware of the woman beside him.

He loves me...?

She crawled out of her futon, careful not to disturb the other occupants and pulled back the folding screen enough for her to slip through. He caughta dark figure making its way into his room through his partially opened eye and stopped breathing as he recognized its unmistakable form.

“Houshi-sama…?”

He was at a loss for words; his mind reeled as she slipped under the covers beside him. All he could do was lick his parched lips and stare at the ceiling as she gently laid her face on his chest. Slowly, he could feel the hot tears making their way through his light cloth shirt and onto his chest. His cursed hand held hers reassuringly as she stifled a sob, wishing desperately that there was something he could do to ease her suffering. He finally breathed a sigh of relief as the salty stains on his shirt dried and her breathe evened out.

She's asleep…

He brushed the stray strands of ebony from her face as he took in her sleeping form. Gingerly, he kissed the top of her head and whispered into the night…

“I will never let you go...”

A/N: Sooo long time no update, ne? Gomen...I've been a little pre-occupied as of late. Naruto is taking over my life...drools Let me know what you think...

ja ne!

everybody-loves-ramen