The Last Note by Fish Wishes
The Last Note
Disclaimer: All original characters go to Takahashi Rumiko. Nonprofit. Thank you Princess Mayumi for betaing. Originally posted on fanfiction dot net
A/N: While reading I suggest listening to Blue October's song Congratulations featuring Imogene Heap. This song helped inspire the one shot and really fits in. Make sure to get rid of the spaces below and replace the "dot"s.
http:/ www dot youtube dot com /watch?v =YaKzhiPlS1o
—The Last Note—
Fog enveloped Tokyo. Amorphous shapes stood just outside a person's peripheral vision. Like a ghost or a memory, undefined but haunting. Amidst this gloomy setting, a lone man sat on a bench. The sad green paint peeled and the wood groaned at the slightest movements. His jacket blended in with the park's unusually gray pallet. Although he had exotic beauty, his back looked so lonely. His broad shoulders holding on to some insurmountable weight. A secret pressed down on him, suffocating him. He needed to breathe, he needed to say-
"Sesshoumaru." The man looked up at a woman. How familiar was the kind shine in her blue eyes, the soft waves of her ebony hair, the topography of her body. He always observed her from a distance. His name sounded so fresh coming from her mouth, like a brisk breeze awakening him and demanding his attention.
"Kagome." His face remained aloof. No one knew, including her. He moved over on the bench, silently offering a seat. She took it. The pregnant air spoke of a history between the couple. Brief, but passionate.
"Congratulations," was the only courteous thing Sesshoumaru could muster.
But Kagome took it anyways. "Thanks, you are coming aren't you?"
The man regarded her with a critical eye. "If only you would have me there," he replied.
"It would be nice…" her voice trailed off, the fog engulfed any echo.
They sat for a few moments longer. Tension built until neither could stand it. Kagome claimed she needed to stretch her legs. Sesshoumaru welcomed the distraction from the impending situation.
But Kagome could not keep quiet; her nerves were on edge and frayed. "The wedding will be in late April, early May, depending on how Inuyasha and my schedules work out. We wanted to have it earlier, but decided getting married during the fall and winter is a bad omen," She gestured at the barren, skeleton trees and dead grass. "That's what Ji-chan convinced us of at least!" She chuckled before continuing her haphazard ramble. Kagome talked about everything from the bride's maid, Sango, down to where she planned on getting her nails done to where she will hold her bachelorette's party. All the while Sesshoumaru listened.
He did not want to hear her plans with his half brother. He wanted her to be miserable, but denying Kagome her happiness would result in his grief as well. He thrived on the rays she gave off, like a flower reaching towards the sun.
"…adopting Shippou." Unwittingly, she hit a sore spot. Rin enjoyed Kagome's company just as he did. The thought of another child sharing his adopted daughter's spot in Kagome's heart frustrated Sesshoumaru.
"You know, I am really happy that you called to meet! I didn't think I was going to have a chance to talk to you before the wedding! I wanted to-"
"Kagome." The woman halted in her steps and turned to look behind her. Sesshoumaru and Kagome were not separated by much space, but an invisible crevice gaped between them.
Kagome squeezed her clasped hands. She felt it coming. It had been palpable every since she arrived. His intent. His reason. His confession.
~
The clouds cleared by the time midnight struck. A bright moon illuminated the wet city and made everything glisten with silver. Kagome could not tear her eyes away. It entranced her. It allured her. Even when her fiancé shuffled beside her, her gaze did not waver.
It's like I am seeing him in everything. Kagome sighed. This afternoon proved to cause more trouble than she wished, but it had to happen. For her to marry Inuyasha required closure with Sesshoumaru. He struggled with this because once something was his, it stayed his!
Finally, today at the park, he admitted his attachment by saying IT! Never when they dated had he said "it". Not after making love, not after a peaceful day, or after apologizing from a fight. But he did it. He said the words so tenderly. He stripped himself raw for Kagome this afternoon. And she could barely stand it. Sesshoumaru is impenetrable. Strong. Confident. But for those seconds, he was not. It took all her pride to walk away without a word or a glace back. If she stayed, Kami only knows what she would have done! Rush into his arms. Run away to far corners. Bear sneers she would receive for leaving Inuyasha. Everything. She would have done everything for and with Sesshoumaru.
The hours weaned into the early dawn when Kagome finally came to peace with her inner self. The decision was final. For once, her heart and brain agreed. Turning away from the silvery night, she curled into the body of her future.
~
Today was the big day.
After winter released Tokyo from its grasps, the happy couple rushed to arrange their wedding. Although in the Western fashion, no one complained. It was finally happening!
The bride stood in the center of a room, staring at her reflection. The woman Kagome saw shocked her. The woman's cheeks flushed with joy and a small smile tweaked at her glossed lips. Elegant wavy black hair hosted a crown of dried Baby's Breath. A simple white matted dress adorned her body and short heels. She liked how the woman looked. It was appropriate in her eyes. The gown, the flowers, would all be forgotten compared to her smile, the sparkle in her eyes, her gait.
Suddenly, other figures joined her and her dozens of reflections. "Sesshoumaru," Kagome smiled. Despite their last meeting causing turmoil for her, Kagome could not imagine getting married without Sesshoumaru there. He wore a black suit with a purple shirt and silver tie. They were her favorite colors on him.
"Is Rin ready?" Kagome asked, stepping down from the platform.
"Yes. Shippou as well."
"Good. Everything is going so smoothly!" Kagome prepared for a hectic day full of messes and complications, because is that not what always happen? Instead she had a peaceful preparation where everyone knew what they had to do and forgot nothing.
Sesshoumaru stared at her. Silence stretched between them.
"Kagome!" called a voice. "We're read-Oh!" Sango stopped outside the doorway.
"Yeah?" said the bride.
Sango cast Sesshoumaru a wry glance. He ignored the other woman. "We're ready."
"Ah, okay, I'll be right there." Kagome smiled.
Sango nodded and left. She took the hint.
"Excuse me, can't be late for my own wedding!" Kagome chuckled at the lame line.
Sesshoumaru did nothing to stop her from passing by him, but before she reached the door he spoke her name.
"Kagome."
So tender and soft. He was pleading her, begging her.
She felt pinpricks in her eyes. No sad crying. No sad crying! Only happy tears here!
"Kagome." She could tell he had turned to face her, but she would not—no—could not meet his powerful eyes.
The air stirred, he was getting ready to speak again. One more time and all her resolve would crumble.
"No. Don't," she sniffed, "Not again."
Sesshoumaru sighed.
"I'll see you in there?" Kagome had to make sure he would not leave.
A pause, "Yes."
She nodded and walked away, shoes echoing down the hall.
~
The wedding was held in the shrine's court yard. Artificial decorations were unneeded. The sakura blossoms were full and their petals drifted in the breeze. The alter lay beneath the powerful arms of Go Shin Boku. Who needed cloth ribbons and plastic pieces when so much natural beauty lay at their disposal?
Kagome stood at the back with Ji-chan, who waited in a wheelchair to save energy. Her heart drummed inside its small cage when the musicians plucked their instruments. She and Inuyasha both agreed the trite "here comes the bride" tune would be excluded from their wedding. Instead they opted for the more traditional sounds of the [i]Koto[/i]. Sango and Souta moved down the white carpeted aisle. Shippou proudly held onto the rings as Rin tossed flower petals about.
Through this period, Kagome could not stand still. She shuffled on her feet and twisted her fingers together.
"Get me out of this thing!" grumbled Ji-chan. His wizened face scrutinized her from his seat. "My granddaughter needs help down the aisle."
Clutching to his old body, Kagome made her first steps toward her future. Her chest swelled as the tone of the music changed and everyone turned around to greet her and her grandfather. She did not notice the one head glaring forward. She only saw Inuyasha, grinning from ear to ear. What a dork. She thought, but she was pretty sure she mirrored his expression.
The ceremony commenced with Miroku as the religious representative. Kagome did not listen to anything but waited for binding words Inuyasha would say. And when he did, and only then, did she start to cry. Happiness bubbled in her chest.
Miroku moved so slow through the formalities"…In sickness, or in death-"
"Yes!" Kagome burst out.
Shock settled over the small congregation.
Miroku laughed, "Well then, kiss already!"
And the couple did. Friends and family clapped and cried and cheered and whooped. Their jovial noises grew louder when the rings were slipped onto the newlyweds fingers. Kagome finally looked out into the crowd, locking eyes with the most important people to her. But she was lost when looking for a pair of golden suns.
~
Sesshoumaru exited the wedding before the exchange of vows, according to everyone else. He left without telling Rin or Jaken. Kagome expected something more dramatic, but she was grateful for his subtle departure. Because when standing on the alter with Inuyasha in front of her, she would have felt no sympathy.
Kagome did not see Sesshoumaru fetch a sleeping Rin and an exhausted Jaken from the reception. Kagome did not see or hear from him for ages. Even Rin and Jaken, who often visited, spent little time with him. Kagome felt guilty in the beginning. But life moved on. Soon she found herself five months pregnant with twins! Her belly swelled and so did her heart. The silence between Sesshoumaru and her needed to end.
Dialing his cell phone number, Kagome rubbed her stomach, feeling the slightest tremor from the creatures inside of her. It continued to ring until an automated voice mail picked up. Kagome loathed caller id as she waited for her turn to speak.
"Hey, it's Kagome. I've got some big news for you! I am pregnant!" She moved her hands in circular motions. "I—" Kagome paused her movements. "I miss you."
~
The sky clouded up later in the day and a fierce storm settled over the city. Rain came first before it froze and became snow. She feared Inuyasha would not make it home. But when the door opened she did not wait for it to slam shut before she flung herself into her husband's arms.
They enjoyed the night curled together, feeling their children inside her womb.
~
The storm left the world in an icy sheen, nothing lay untouched. Trains were delayed and many people decided to lay low until things got cleaned up. She received calls from her mother and friends all asking if Inuyasha was okay, the babies, and her. "Of course!" She laughed into the receiver. "Everything is fine!"
~
Kagome's waited for the other line to pick up. She decided to phone Rin and Jaken because she had not heard from them yet, she did not expect to hear from Sesshoumaru any time soon.
"Hello?" A whisper of a voice said on the other line.
"Rin?" Kagome frowned. She's not allowed the answer the phone…
"Miss Kagome!" cried the child (she never dropped Kagome's original title). "Miss Kagome!"
"What? What's wrong!" She only heard sharp breaths and hiccups and her name. Repeated over and over again.
The doorbell rang. From her position in the hall, Kagome had a clear view of who was outside the door when Inuyasha answered it.
"No…" she whispered and dropped the phone, collapsing into a heap.
~
His car and another's collided in the storm. He died on contact. The other lived, unscathed.
Kagome hated herself. She knew why he was in the ice storm. Why he left the comfort of his home. Why he left Rin and Jaken to wonder over his disappearance. Kagome loathed herself. The police said he did not wear his seat belt, did not bring his wallet. All very un-Sesshoumaru like.
They said they found out who he was through a letter tucked in a pocket.
"You understand we had to read it." One of the officers said as they handed her the crumbled envelope.
Kagome read the words. Read them again. She could not find the will to cry. Her feelings went beyond shallow sadness.
The day he was burned, she clutched the letter, his final words. The irony killed her. The day he died was the year anniversary since he said "it" to her. The day he died, he wasted a whole sheet of paper to scribble down an urgent message. His handwriting was not neat and loopy and elegant. It looked rushed and messy and crushed. But those two simple words were so full of feeling.
Love,
Sesshoumaru
A/N: Thank you for reading. It has taken me a year to write this and it feels good to have finally done so. Please, Please, Please review! I would like to hear any comments and some criticism. If you would like to say something in private (for example a flame or something nicer) feel free to send me a private message!
Sample of what a Koto sounds like:
http:/ www dot youtube dot com/watch?v= Tczxw8bVMZM
Word Count: 2,196