The Men in Her Life

An Inuyasha Fanfiction by Aino

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all associated characters belong to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan Inc., Bandai and Viz Communications. I am just playing around with the what-ifs they left.
Dedication: I would like to dedicate this piece to Lynn, a wonderful Inuyasha writer, from whom I stole the idea of early-morning meditation. My apologies.
Rating: PG (for mildly suggestive comments)
Timeline: After the end of the quest. Certain assumptions have been made.
Author's Note: It seems I can't keep my hands off these "after the end" ficbunnies. This time, I get practise with dialogue, you get to guess.
In the Background: Mercy Street, sung by Miriam, from the Celtic Voices of Middle-earth Collection

oOo

"Up so early?"

"You always are."

"There is peace to be found in the early morning. I find it to be the best time for my recitations."

"Oh."

"So, what woke you? Certainly breakfast is not done yet."

"Actually, she's still asleep. I just -- had to breathe for a little. Get some space."

"Well, it is a fine morning to breathe on. You can have all the space you want, I am done in any case."

"It's not you I need space from. It's her. You know. It really feels kind of freaky, the way she hovers around me all the time."

"You have no idea."

"About what?"

"With that going on, it is more than hard to get any time alone with her. Sometimes I think it wasn't a marriage pledge I gave, but an oath of celibacy."

"Right... I think that was a bit too much information for me."

"My apologies. It just is kind of frustrating. -- In any case, beneath it all, she only means well by you. You were lost to her for many months; it is to be expected that she would cling to you now."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm not going to explode or run off even if she did leave me alone for a while."

"She will see that, in time. I think she does understand it, it is just that her emotions get the better of her when it comes to you."

"Do they have to? It... it's kind of difficult when she looks at me like she's about to cry. I don't want that. It's supposed to be alright now, so why'd she cry?"

"Women are mysteries, my young friend, and in the end we only stumble blindly in their wake. -- However, at times, your sister simply finds it hard to believe that you truly returned. She cries out of relief, not sadness."

"I guess I get it. It's a bit hard for me, too, sometimes. After all that."

"It is over now. It will take time for us all to really come to grips with that Naraku is now dead. This life, here, with us all still alive; sometimes I think it is more than I deserve."

"So... it doesn't really... bother you, that she fusses over me like that?"

"No. Not really. If you ask me for an honest answer --"

"Yeah, I do."

"-- I know how much she cares about you. You are irreplaceable. Sometimes I used to think that you were all she could see."

"Hm."

"I was in danger of losing my life because of Naraku; you were the only thing that remained of her life. We did the only thing we could: we searched and we hoped, for something that would bring you back to her. She nearly lost hope more than once."

"And..."

"Perhaps, because she was so focused on you, it was not easy to get close to her: she already had all the concern in her heart centered on someone."

"She can be sort of scary when she gets really bent on something, I know."

"Well, I didn't mean it quite like that. But I suppose you would know about that; in my case, at least, she lets reason guide her for some of the time."

"If half the stories I hear about you around the village are true, she'd better. -- Are they?"

"We can discuss that in more detail when you're older."

"They are."

"... However, getting back to our principal topic: no, I am not bitter. We both have a place in her life, and she in ours. Does it bother you that now that you have her back, you have to bear with me, as well?"

"... No. I don't think so."

"Then we seem to be on the same line in this."

"You know. About getting some time with her... I could figure something out. I wouldn't mind some time away from aneue, anyway."

"That would be much appreciated."

"You really are as bad as she lets on, huh?"

"I am likely to be worse. She is quite kind to me, you know."

"She loves you. It's that simple."

"I suppose you just took the words out of my mouth. -- Shall we go then? She has had ample time to wake up, and she does not appreciate waffling when she has breakfast ready."

"Uh-huh. Don't I know it..."

And off they went.

oOo

aneue: "older sister"; a respectful, archaic way of referring to one's big sister

It just occurred to me I had never seen a fic dealing with how Miroku and Kohaku would get along. This is just hypothetisizing, as we do not yet know what any of the characters' final fate will be, but it wanted to be written. Especially since even the people making the anime have caught on to (the humour opportunities in) how Kohaku always seems to sneak past Miroku in Sango's order of priority. (Look at the second movie, wouldya?)

Did it work? Is it too stilted or confusing? I've never tried to write an entirely dialogue-based fic before. Comments and criticism are very welcome.

First draft November 3, 2004
Minor revisions December 9, 2004
Aino
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