Title: Unreal
Author: Sangi
Rating:
EDITED: SEPTEMBER 3: 2007:

Wow, I must have been on crack or something when I wrote this. What was I thinking? It isn’t a very good story, with a strange, unusual pairing. I am glad, though, that some people read this and enjoyed my (poor) work. But anyways, this was one of the last Inuyasha works I wrote, so I think that I will leave it up on fanfiction dot net so everyone (or any sad person who happens to stumble across it) can read it and enjoy (shudder in terror). Anyways, begin.

He saw all the time. When Inuyasha sneaked out at night he didn’t notice the small thing following him – he didn’t smell the scent of a lying runt. And he watched as they embraced and he wanted to reach out and feel the air between them and see if it was warm, if it was there.

He knew that it was wrong to watch them when they met, now almost every night, but he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop himself from automatically waking up every night and following the smell of wet dog into the forest and watching; watching them be. Be together. He knew it was wrong - but he never did stop.

And every night he takes himself out of either Sango or Kagome’s grip quietly and carefully, and heads with softly padding feet into the forest, where they are. Where they always were. He sees things that someone his age shouldn’t see. He knew he should tell someone that Inuyasha was conversing with the enemy but it all just didn’t seem right. It didn’t seem right at all.

And every morning, just before the crack of dawn and Inuyasha came back to camp and woke them up, Shippo would run from his hiding place, and place himself back in warm arms. He would pretend that it was just a dream and the next day he would be happy, happy for the both of them.

In the evening he readies himself for another visit, but they don’t come. He is disappointed and turns around and sees a flash of green and white, and the red ribbon that was once hers - and he then knows she knows. When he comes back to camp again he sits himself next to his surrogate and watch her fake her sleep; watched her deny what she knew.

--x--

It was the next day when he found out why they had not met. Naraku attacked them.

--x—

It was the end of the thing Shippo had known for two years of his life. It was all over and he didn’t know what to do. Against the wishes of his group, Shippo had interacted in the dangerous and deadly battle, but sustained no injuries. He watched as Kouga was healed by Kagome, and as she moved onto Inuyasha.

She hesitated slightly before resting her hands on his head and looking into his blank, staring eyes. Kagome shook her head and sighed softly before letting her hands fall and taking out bandages from the sack at her side.

Shippo moved his eyes over to the sight of Sesshomaru nodding off lightly against a large tree, Rin is his lap. Jaken was lying on side next to them, Ah-Un hovering nearby, yawning and settling down. Next to them sat Kagura, fanning herself with her delicate fan, watching Shippo carefully.

He looked farther past them, to where a Miroku – his hands bare – was asleep right next to an unconscious and bandaged Sango, hiraikotsu on the ground in three broken pieces. Kilala watched from only a few feet away. Knowing the feeling of being watched, she turned around and looked Shippo in the eye. He moved on.

Shippo watched all of the events that had transpired after that. Kouga proposing to Kagome, and her adamant refusal (she knew that she was not meant to marry).

“Kagome, please, let me take you as my wife,” Kouga pleaded with her, his normally cocky attitude depleted.

“No, Kouga. It just wasn’t meant to be.” Kagome looked away.

It wasn’t meant to be.

Miroku taking Sango into his arms and dancing around with her, happily laughing, her crying tears of joy.

“And let us be together forever, Sango…”

“How many children did you want again, Miroku?” she teased.

It wasn’t right, though, because she wasn’t there. Not anymore.

And then it was night.

--x--

It was dark and it was time.

He mechanically stood up and saw Inuyasha staring off into the distance, still, and Kagome on her side, silent tears wracking her whole body. Shippo knew, he knew, but nothing could be done. He sighed. The forest was not so far off…

Shippo went because he knew.

The forest was dark and brooding, but it was only familiar territory and he had memorized the path by heart.

Upon reaching the spot (the one, single spot) where so much had happened, where so many night hours had gone by with two lonely watchers hiding in the bushes. He sat on the damp, earthy ground and stared out at the many trees, spying the one where he had seen so many things, and finally finding the large one Kagome had used to hide her body behind.

He sighed again and laid his head down on the ground, crossing one small leg over the other and smiling softly.

Many seconds later (what time was it again?) he stood up and dejectedly walked away, because he knew. He knew she wasn’t coming, and he knew she would never be here again. He knew she would never breathe another breath, that no one could bring her back alive this time.

A noise in the grass…

He whipped around, only to see the subject of his thoughts. So many rejections of this fact crossed his mind, and he listened to none of them. He stood there, basking in the soft glow of her pale porcelain skin, for quite some time before before he realized it was just him and her.

He reached out his hand between them; to feel the air between them and see if it was warm – if it was there.

His hand crept away from him and it finally reached the half point and he stopped.

It was cold.

Shippo ran deep into the forest and cried, because she wasn’t there, because they could never be, and because he knew.