A/N: And so L draws to a close. There's enough fluff in this chapter to almost make me throw my computer out the window…but I didn't since it seems like you guys were anticipating the ending. Don't expect more fluff from me anytime soon though; I've had my sap overdose with this fic.

I'll leave it up to you to interpret the ending…

BTW, the actual lullaby used in this chapter was originally written by yours truly, so no copying.

HUGE thanks to everyone who reviewed this story; I never expected to get so many reviews! Really, you readers are what keeps us writers going, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A recent Naruto craze has distracted me from my SK fics, so I'm sorry to say that most fics pending publication are probably on hiatus. Updates to RM will faithfully continue though, I hope.

Once again, thanks! And congratulations to Hikata. Enjoy this chapter, minus the endless fluff, of course. –MeeLee

PS: To fellow Inuyasha fans…I'd never considered Ren's demonic form as like a youkai. Though now that you think about it, it makes sense. BTW, Sesshoumaru is hot. –cough-

LULLABY: FINALE

Horohoro woke suddenly, shooting straight up in the bed and gasping for breath. For an instant he could not remember where he was before suddenly it all came back to him, and peering carefully over the bedside he was thoroughly startled to see two red eyes glaring back up at him. Instantly he gave a frightened cry, scrambling backward, expecting Krast at any moment to rise and pick up where he had left off.

Nothing happened. Steadying his breathing, Horohoro slowly approached the side of the bed again, and holding his breath as he peered down at those two red eyes, he saw that they were blank and staring at nothing. Was Krast dead?

Quickly the Ainu sprang off of the bed, darting across the room and flicking the lights on. There, lying on the ground next to the bed, lay the demon, eyes open and staring up at the ceiling. Horohoro felt his stomach do a somersault when he saw the blood still flowing out of the wound in the demon's neck where his throat had apparently been torn open.

Taking a cautious step forward, Horohoro gasped in surprise when he felt his foot sink into something wet. Hurriedly taking a step back, he stared down in awe at the pool of blood that lay at his feet. For a brief moment he was confused; Krast was on the other side of the room, so how did his blood end up here?

Unless…

"Ren?" Horohoro's voice echoed eerily in the empty room. "Ren, where are you?"

There was no answer. Walking over to the bathroom, Horohoro threw the door open. "Ren!" But the room was empty. Ren was gone.

The Ainu stepped back into the bedroom, averting his eyes from the corpse beside the bed, feeling his mind spinning with confusion. If Ren had been the victor in the fight, why wasn't he here?

A flash of red at the very corner of his eye caught his attention, and turning, Horohoro frowned when he saw the thick smear of blood on the floor. Blinking, he looked further and saw another, and then another, leading up to the door, which was slightly ajar.

Instantly he was out of the room and standing in the hallway, staring in horror at the blood trail that now led down the empty hall, winding down the stairs before snaking out of the inn onto the cold sidewalk outside. As he followed the dark patches down the street, Horohoro broke into a run, breathing hard, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. Where was Ren going?

The trail suddenly ended, and Horohoro found himself looking up at a small house. He remembered it well, firstly because he sometimes helped the lady who lived here with her groceries, and secondly because it was the only house on the street with a front porch. But Ren had never even spoken with this lady before; why in the world would he go here?

Leaping up the steps, Horohoro reached up and rang the bell without hesitation. A few moments later, there came the shuffling of footsteps before the lock slid apart and the Ainu found himself staring at an old Japanese lady. She blinked upon seeing him, adjusting her glasses before her eyes lit with recognition and she smiled.

"Oh, Horohoro," she said, "How nice of you to drop by. But why are you here so late?" She glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's almost two in the morning."

Quickly Horohoro bowed. "I'm sorry to bother you, Hishida-san," he said, "But I was wondering if I could see Ren."

Mrs. Hishida blinked. "Ren…?"

"Yes." Horohoro felt himself grow cold when he saw Mrs. Hishida frown. "Tao Ren. He's my friend, do you remember? Chinese, golden eyes, purple hair, tongari?"

"Hm…" Suddenly Mrs. Hishida's eyes lit up. "Oh yes, that boy!" she said with a smile, before pausing. "I thought he was staying with you?"

"W-Wait," Horohoro said. "You mean he didn't come by here?"

"Of course not," Mrs. Hishida said. "He's not a sweet boy like you. Why would he bother with an old lady like me?"

"But…" Horohoro swallowed, feeling the tears rush to his eyes. "He was…He was supposed to be…"

"Horohoro?" Mrs. Hishida frowned. "Are you all right? You're turning pale."

All of a sudden the Ainu was feeling incredibly cold. "I'm f-fine," he whispered, slowly backing up. "Perfectly fine. Th-Thank you, Hishida-san."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mrs. Hishida asked.

Horohoro nodded, biting back his tears, nearly stumbling over the front porch steps. "Y-Yes," he stammered. "You go on back to bed, Hishida-san. Thank you." The old lady frowned before finally closing her door. When he saw the lights of the house darken again, Horohoro allowed himself to sink to his knees, shivering. "Ren, where are you…?"

He looked back down at the ground again, at the blood trail that ran up to the front porch and stopped. This was as far as Ren had gone, so why wasn't he in the house?

Suddenly an image flashed in his mind: Ren attacking Krast, golden eyes wide, long fangs visible over his lips, claws extended. He had seemed more demon than human.

And then Ren's words came back to him. There are the animal demons, such as cat demons, hawk demons, and…dog demons…

Suddenly he remembered what Ren had told him that night out on the sidewalk, how the witch Emeng had given him a dog demon's eyes. Was it possible that…

Before he was even fully aware of it, he was crouched on the ground, peering underneath the front porch at the darkness beneath. "Ren!" he cried, his voice muffled in the small space. "Ren!"

Holding his breath, he barely heard the faintest of rustles, and peering even harder into the darkness, he strained to distinguish two golden eyes slowly fluttering open. Then a small voice came to him. "…Horo…?"

"Ren." Horohoro let a sigh of relief escape him, feeling the tears gathering in his eyes. "Thank heavens. Are you all right?"

It took a moment for the Tao to reply. "Why…are you here?" he asked, speaking slowly as if he had to gather the strength to utter each word.

"Looking for you, why else?" Horohoro answered. "I'm so glad you're okay. There was so much blood, I was getting worried—"

"Horo." He heard Ren sigh, and when he spoke again, his voice was even softer. "I'm not…feeling so good…"

"Don't worry," Horohoro said, "Just come out from there and I'll go get some help."

A pause. "I…I don't think…I can…"

The Ainu frowned. "What do you mean?" he cried. "Of course you can! Now come on!"

"Horo." There was a long pause. "I…can't move."

"What?" Suddenly a memory came to the Ainu, something his father had once told him when he was younger. A peculiarity of dogs, his father had said, seated before the fire in their hut. They're incredibly strong and noble creatures…until their time comes. Then they crawl under houses, away from everyone, to die alone. Dogs understand what humans do not: death is death. It doesn't matter who is there with you, because you are the one dying. Dogs know this, and so they hide away to die.

To die…

"Ren," Horohoro said, feeling his throat clogging up. "Ren, don't…"

He heard Ren sigh. "I'm dying, Horohoro."

"No!" Horohoro shook his head violently. "Don't say that! You're going to be fine!"

"Horo, just…go. Leave me. I'll be gone…in a few minutes."

"No!" Before he was even fully aware of it, the Ainu was scooting underneath the porch, coughing at the dirt and the dust. "No, Ren, damnit!" He finally reached Ren, seeing those two golden eyes blink groggily up at him in the darkness, and reaching over he wrapped his arms around Ren's small body. "Don't," he whispered, feeling the tears making their way slowly down his face. "Please…"

"I'm sorry, Horo," Ren said with a sigh. "I really am…"

"No." Horohoro hugged the Chinese closer. "You can't die. Not now."

"I've lost…too much blood, Horo…I can't…hold on…"

"You have to," the Ainu whispered. "You have to…please, Ren, don't go…"

"Horo…" Ren coughed, and something wet hit the floor. "I'm sorry, but I…can't see you…anymore…"

"No!" Horohoro struggled to contain his sobs but failed, burying his face in Ren's hair. "You can't, you c-can't…" He found Ren's cold hand in the darkness and squeezed it. "Please…"

When Ren spoke, his voice was barely a hoarse whisper. "I love you, Horo," he said. "Please…don't forget me…"

"Ren…" Horohoro swallowed hard. "Don't leave me, Ren." But the Tao did not answer, and slowly Horohoro gathered the body to him, feeling Ren's slow breaths on his neck. For a moment there was only silence, but then suddenly a voice floated up out of the darkness, small, choked, trembling.

The sun that lit the afternoon

Has sunken, gone to sleep,

And now it is the silver moon

That whispers in your dreams.

Horohoro swallowed, wetting his lips. The words were coming to him naturally; he did not even have to think about them. A lullaby his mother used to sing to Pilika and himself, back in Hokkaido when they had been little. When everything had been good and beautiful.

Go now to that starry land

Where green fields run forever.

I'll be there, so take my hand

And here we'll be together.

Ren squeezed Horohoro's hand as his breathing quickened. The darkness closed in on him, but he was not afraid, for still the song came to him, and it gave him comfort.

Smile and dance in the endless light.

Let the wind caress your face.

Spread your wings and then take flight

With arrow's speed and angel's grace.

Don't look back now, I am here.

Free your heart and we shall fly.

I will protect you, do not fear,

And together we'll touch the sky.

Tao Ren closed his eyes, allowing the words to echo and surround him in warmth as he faded slowly away.

Go now to that starry land

Where green fields run forever.

I'll be there, so take my hand

And here we'll be together…

Silence. And then a tiny whisper.

"Ren."

No answer.

"I love you."

And all was quiet once again.

---

The dawn was approaching when the ghosts of Funbari Hill were awakened by footsteps. Most of them paid no heed and continued sleeping, but a few peeked out of their graves and saw a single lone figure walking down the narrow path. He walked with a slow yet resolute step, his blue hair hanging in front of his face. The ghosts would have ignored him had it not been for two things: the tears that streamed endlessly down his cheeks, and the slim body he was carrying in his arms.

He walked through the cemetery without looking up, focused only on the ground in front of him. He passed through without a word, head bowed, and still the tears formed a staunchless river down his face. Upon reaching the edge of the cemetery, he turned to the east, toward the rising sun.

Neither Usui Horokeu nor Tao Ren was ever seen again.

FINI