Wonderful Life

Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takashi. The song 'Wonderful Life' belongs to the most amazing band, Hurts.

Thank you for the amazing evening of 23rd October at Bocarski Dom, Zagreb.

Summary: He was sad, so sad. And there was no hope. Until she saved him from the darkness that dwelled in his soul. He had been lost, but then she found him.

Rated M just to be sure.

-x-

His sad golden orbs gazed at the ocean beneath him. The storm was building on the horizon, he could smell it. Good. This was the bottom and somewhere in his mind he knew it. The bottom… the only thing that was right for the half-breed he was. Darkness flooded his irises and they turned into dark honey.

No, not darkness. Sadness. It was crawling in pit of his heart, slowly stirring, slowly building. And he was near a breaking point. He felt tears prickling in his eyes. He was strong, yes, but not strong enough. Never before he cried.

Not in his childhood, that was nearly two centuries ago. His mother told him that it was okay to express feelings by crying.

'Was that because you always cried, mother?' A bitter thought flashed in his mind. He hated seeing tears staining his mother's beautiful face. But, after all, it was inevitable when you have a hanyou for a son.

He didn't cry when they called him names. He didn't cry when he got beaten. He returned it, after all. He didn't even cry when she disappeared from his life.

But now, when she was indeed gone for good, now tears threatened to spill. Now, when he was determined to fix all this mess and be with her. His golden eyes darkened even more and he let the dark thoughts consume him completely.

His sensitive ears picked up soft footsteps in the distance, but he pushed it aside. There were more important matters to attend.

-x-

~On a bridge across the Severn on a Saturday night,
Susie meets the man of her dreams,~

-x-

Kagome sighed and threw her bag over her shoulder. The night was awful. Not that she didn't like Houjo. She could see herself with him in the future, but there was a feeling that it wouldn't be enough. Seriously, that guy lacked passion.

Sure, he was sweet, smart and a gentleman, but that wasn't a man she was looking for. The date went okay, he even said he'll take her home. Unfortunately, she was in a mood for a walk.

'Stupid. I can't believe I turned him down.' Then, there was this second matter. The high heels she wore were killing her feet. Her apartment was right across the damn bridge. It was a part of newer building block and quite different from the shrine she lived in until a month ago.

She finally had freedom, but loneliness came with it. Maybe she should just settle down with Houjo. Or maybe she could give Kouga a ring.

She was still debating what to do when she saw something… no, someone, standing on the edge.

Panic went through her and without a second thought, she yelled.

"No, stop, don't jump!" She began to run to him, but she stopped after a couple of meters. He abruptly turned to face her and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Please don't jump." She whispered. His gaze burned holes in her. His mane of thick moonlight flew in the wind which usually announced rain and storm.

He turned away from her, but a pair of dog ears twitched wildly, listening to her every movement. Then it struck her.

He was beautiful.

-x-

~He says that he got in trouble and if she doesn't mind,
He doesn't want the company,
But there's something in the air,~

-x-

Inuyasha's concentration broke when someone yelled at him.

"No, stop, don't jump!" It was a woman's voice. The wind brought her aroma to his nose. Lilac touched with warm sunshine on a summer day.

Beautiful scent. Calming scent. Enticing scent.

He was overwhelmed with sudden desire to look at her. The sound of her footsteps turned to running and he knew that she was getting closer. His gaze averted and met hers.

'Kikyou.' She looked just like Kikyou did. But that was impossible. She was dead… gone.

"Please don't jump." Her whisper touched him and in that instant he knew. That wasn't Kikyou. She would never allow emotions to penetrate her voice like that. He was slightly intrigued by this girl.

So he looked at her more carefully.

Her raven hair wasn't as long or as straight as Kikyou's. Instead, it was wavy and wild.

Her slender figure looked fragile, but he knew that look could fool sometimes.

Her lips, full, but not red as Kikyou's, but a playful shade of pink.

And then there were her eyes. Not cold brown pools he was used to, but orbs of amazing blue dusted with grey.

"Please don't jump." She was almost so close that he could feel her body heat. He felt his ear twitch in annoyance and saw her gaze wandering. Her eyes widened at the realization what he was.

Her sweet aroma was suddenly tainted with nervousness. He bitterly snickered to himself. Once again, his orbs found hers and he asked.

"Why are you here, wench?" She winced in confusion and her stance became unsure.

"I-" His gaze became hot as he silently looked at her.

"I just don't understand why would you jump. I mean there's plenty of reasons to live…" She trailed off and he just grinned. His fangs glistered and he looked dangerous for a moment.

"My life is a mess. So if you will, just leave. There's nothing you can do." The scent of rain was heavy in his nostrils. Just a few more minutes…

"But I don't want to leave."

-x-
~They share a look in silence and everything is understood,
Susie grabs her man and puts a grip on his hand
as the rain puts a tear in his eye.~

-x-

She gasped at the words that exited her mouth. She searched for a reason why she said that. There was absolutely none. But she felt they were true. She did not want to go away and leave this man to his sorrow.

Nobody deserved to drown in dread.

The world was a fabulous place and suddenly she wanted to see the man smile. She put on a warm smile and put her petite hand on his shoulder.

"Please." Her voice was pleading to its core and she hoped that it will soften the man's worries. He took a deep breath and locked his gaze with hers. She could almost drown in the rich gold of his irises, but what caught her attention was the feeling of longing in his eyes.

Emotions flooded her like they never did before and she found herself closing the distance between them.

He suddenly felt two warm arms embracing his waist. All sort of sensations went through him. For once, he was confused. Should he push her away? But the warmth was so comforting, so familiar.

"Please, just don't do it. There is always someone that will miss you." That slightly flamed his anger. Just who was this girl to think she knew him?

"Keh. Not for me. Nobody will miss a lowly half-breed like me." She felt the hurt dropping from his voice. Her grip became firmer as the rain started falling.

"I will miss you if nobody else will." She barely whispered, but she knew that he picked it up since he tensed. Warm rain framed his face as tears finally left his eyes. The girl, he didn't even knew her name, was hugging him, a hanyou.

And she didn't push him away, she didn't have prejudices.

And he cried for her, for her compassionate heart that accepted something that nobody else had.

-x-
~She says:
'Don't let go,
Never give up its such a wonderful life,
Don't let go,
Never give up its such a wonderful life'~

-x-

Inuyasha never knew how he ended up in his house. All he knew was that he woke up and she was there. She smiled as he grunted in sleepiness.

"I've left some breakfast on table for you. I must go now, but remember that I'm always here to talk to." She gave him another warm smile and left. Twenty minutes later, when he finally managed to convince himself it was time to get up, he found a neatly written note next to his still warm breakfast. It was her number and address.

"Kagome Higurashi." He went completely still as her name escaped his lips.

-x-

~Driving through the city to the Temple Station,
Cries into the leather seat,~

-x-

He didn't know what made him call her, but here he was, in the seat of his car, gazing at her as she chattered about some irreverent things.

He figured that she had lived in a shrine with her family, that she moved some time ago and that she had a cat named Buyo. That thought got him snarling in no time. She loved cats, so how would she get along with him, a dog half-demon?

But when she looked at him with those sincere eyes, he knew that this new found friendship will last. Maybe even more.

'Wait, what? I wanted to kill myself a week ago.' His eyes spared one last glance at her before focusing completely on a road before him. They were going out, hanging out as she said, but it suspiciously smelled like a date to him.

But why would she want to date him?

She said herself that some human was interested in her (and he wanted to rip his guts out for even looking at her) and that some wolf youkai won't leave her alone.

'Keh, he will if I beat him.' His mind stopped all actions in that moment.

'When did I become so protective over some human bitch?' But this was Kagome. She held some kind of magic within herself, the type that could calm both himself and his inner youkai. He silently cursed as scent of tears filled the air.

"Oi, wench, what's the matter?" She sniffed a little bit.

"I just realized that I left Buyo without any food when I left him at the Shrine. What if he starves to death?" He sweatdropped. This was why she was crying? Because of a cat? She was more fucking sensible than he gave her credit for.

"Dammit wench, don't cry. Besides, you said your brother is coming home at this time. Do you honestly think he will let him starve to death?" She nodded absently and wiped her tears. "You are right as always Inuyasha. I didn't even think you were listening to me." He felt a pang of hurt squeezing his heart. But he didn't let it show.

"Keh." She hid her eyes beneath her eyelids and sighed.

"Arigatou Inuyasha."

-x-
~But Susie knows the baby was a family man,
But the world has got him down on his knees.~

-x-

"So what flavor will you take?" Kagome chirped while poking a grumpy hanyou in the ribs.

"Keh. Whatever." She just grinned and he felt his face reddening.

"Would you mind if I picked for you?" He shook his head quickly. This friendship with Kagome lasted two and a half months now. And not once she gave up on him. She always cheered him up when life and memories put him down. She chatted about her life in such a carefree passion, but not once she demanded to know about his life. And when he asked her why, she would simply say 'You will tell me when you are ready'.

Kagome, his Kagome was amazing.

He even got used to a fact that his mind was calling her 'his'. In a sense, he wanted her to be, but there was this chain that stopped him every time he tried to bring the subject up. The chain called Kikyou. He promised her never to forget her, didn't he?

At the bare thought, he could hear his youkai his and roar in the cage of his mind. He snarled to himself. The demon never liked Kikyou because she didn't accept that side of Inuyasha.

"Give me strawberry for myself and chocolate for the Grumpy here." She cheerfully said to the elder salesman. But this was Kagome. She accepted all that he was and didn't judge him. She gave him his ice cream and took his hands in hers.

"C'mon, let's walk to my apartment."

-x-

The feeling of her skin brushing his sent tingling sensations through her. She liked to imagine that Inuyasha was her boyfriend, someone who could hold her through cold night and stuff like that.

But the reality was, she was just his comfort.

Kagome knew that he could never look at her in that fashion. She was just too plain for him. But there was always hope.

"I'm surprised wench. You didn't ask once for what made me want to jump off that bridge." Her eyes fluttered open behind her eyelashes.

"I know that's because you don't want to talk about it. Although it would make you feel better if you share it with someone. Clearly, you are not willing to share that with me, so-"

"Stop talking nonsense Kagome." She looked at him, slightly dazed. He never called her 'Kagome'. He tensed as he said it, his fingers curling even more around hers. He was serious, she realized.

"It's just not some fairytale that carefree girls like you should listen to." There, he said it.

"Is that what I look like to you? A carefree girl which lives in her joyous world?" His heart clenched at the raw hurt in her words.

"Kago-"

"Please, don't." She stepped away from him.

'All he ever saw in me was a girl.' I wasn't supposed to hurt the way it did. After all, she knew that she had no chance.

"I am not a girl. Damn, I'm twenty three Inuyasha. And I'm tired of men looking at me and seeing some teenager. I may be naïve, but I'm not stupid." The hand around his heart clenched even more and he barely managed to breathe.

'Don't leave Kagome.' He inwardly screamed, but stayed silent.

"Goodbye Inuyasha. And here I thought you were different." He could smell the salt from her tears lingering in his lungs.

'Kagome.'

-x-

She cursed. Of all the things that could happen, it was always the worse.

"Hello, Kagome Higurashi from fifth floor here. I might need-" The voice shouted something and she cursed again.

'Maintenance is on the first floor, deliver your complaints there. Stupid men.' Kagome hurried to the maintenance office to 'deliver' her problem. She carefully knocked on the door. A man with crimson eyes opened it with a couple of curses.

"What do you want?" Kagome fumed, but decided to reason with him.

"Well, I live on the fifth floor, apartment 22c, and it appears that the door is stuck." The man scratched behind his elf-like ear.

"Okay, go there and wait for me."

"Hiten!" The voice groaned and she immediately recognized that as the man who hung up on her.

"Manten, we have business. Give me-" She sighed and went to her apartment once more. She waited for about half an hour when the man, Hiten, finally appeared. He examined the lock for a couple of more minutes and sighed.

"I'm sorry Ma'am-"

"Kagome, just call me Kagome." He blinked a couple of times and then grinned.

"So, Kagome, I'm sorry to inform you that you won't be able to enter you apartment for some time." This was not happening.

"WHAT?"

"Dear Kami, wench, why do you yell?" He snarled and she realized that it was better not to anger this youkai.

"I'm sorry." He watched her for some time and then focused his attention to the door again.

"The lock needs changing, but I cannot do it right now because I haven't got any spare. So it seems that you would need to find some place to crash. Well, we have a spa-"

"No need for that. Kagome can stay with me." She groaned at the sound of a familiar voice. He was the last thing she needed right now. She turned her body to face him. He leaned casually on the wall, like nothing had happened. His eyes shone in the semi darkness and they promised a heated discussion afterwards.

"So you are with this half-breed?" The youkai asked. Inuyasha straightened and his expression was furious. He cracked his knuckles in preparation.

"Inuyasha, stop." His eyes found hers and he keh'd.

"C'mon, let's go Kagome." She glared at him and sent Hiten a look of gratitude. The youkai just smiled and waved at her. When Inuyasha finally sat in the car, she immediately started ignoring him. They stayed like that for a while, but at last he lost his temper.

"What is the matter with you wench? Why are you suddenly giving me a cold shoulder?" Her eyes slowly locked with his as she glared at him beneath the thick layer of her midnight tresses. He saw heat rushing to her cheeks in anger and her fists clench. Kami, she was beautiful when she was mad.

"What is the matter with me? With me? You are the arrogant, irresponsible and annoying one." He could almost see steam coming from her ears. His lips curled into tiny smirk.

"I guess I am." He murmured as he started the car. Her head turned and she gazed through the window.

"I want to tell you what happened to me that I became that man you met on the bridge." His hands were still on the wheel and he seemed calm, but Kagome knew that he was everything but that. The way his eyes saddened or his grip tightened told her that.

"I didn't have a happy life as you may say. My father got killed because he protected my mother. My mother got killed because she protected me. I was alone all my life. I got used to that, you know. It becomes a habit, not depending on someone. And then… I met her. Her name was Kikyou. She was astonishing and beautiful, but she was cold. Hell, even ice wasn't as cold as her. But that didn't matter to me. I loved her and I knew than somewhere deep inside she loved me. The real problem was that she didn't like my raw side. She detested that I was part youkai, so she showed affection for me only when I was human." He snickered at that and she knew that he was deeply hurt by that.

"She left me eventually, never said her reason. I figured that she got bored with me. And there I stood. I was ready to go to the end of the world if she said so, and she walked away. She got in an accident few months later. A year and a half later, her sister decided to unplug her. She died."

By the time he finished talking, his voice was just a bare whisper. He sighed in annoyance at himself. Why did he had to be so weak whenever he talked about her? She was nothing, a sole smudge in his past.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha."

-x-

~So she throws him at the wall,
Her kisses burn like fire,
And suddenly he starts to believe,~

-x-

With a loud thump, he was pinned by a wall. Not by brute force, but by her passionate kisses. His senses were screaming to him that this was not right, not in her current state of mind. He did not want to be her because of pity. He wanted to be with her because of love.

'Keh, like she would love somebody… somebody like me.'

"Kagome…" She put her delicate finger on his lips and batted her thick eyelashes at him. Those eyes of hers… they were so innocent and pure, just like the woman whom he held in his arms.

'Innocent my ass, she is pinning me against the wall, after all.' She licked her lips and kissed him again. And again. And until she was too desperate for air.

"Kagome, stop." The blue pools looked at him intently.

"Why? Do you not feel like me?" Her lips brushed his jaw, chin, nose and finally lips.

"Do you not feel this fire behind our kisses?" His eyes fixed on her and stared for a long time. Sorrow crept into her position and she backed off.

"I'm sorry. I was such a fool. You do not feel…" Her words were muffled by him. She was again, on fire.

"But I do. Oh, how I do. However, it's a mistake for you. I don't wish to taint you Kagome." She blinked a couple of times, confusing clouding those sea orbs.

"Taint me? With what?" He rolled his eyes and cupped her face.

"Silly girl. Do you really want to be with a half-breed with me?" He felt a mild pain on his right cheek.

'Ow.'

Her eyes locked with hers and she did not back off.

"Do not ever tell that again baka. You are a wonderful person Inuyasha. I don't know what she said to you so you think like this." She blinked and couple of tears escaped her eyes. She poked her finger in his chest.

"And don't ever tell that you are impure. I do not care if you are a human, a hanyou or a youkai. You are Inuyasha. It's as simple as that." She gently kissed his noise and took his hand in his. He sighed as the bedroom doors closed.

Only feeling that could be felt was raw, wild passion of their love being transferred into a physical form. And as he filled her, as she screamed, as they drowned in the pleasure of finding their soulmates, a doubt still echoed in the hanyou's mind.

As the dawn's first light shone through the window, the white haired man looked at his most cherished treasure. She was sleeping peacefully, her naked chest rising up and down steadily. She wore a look of contentment on her face and his ego flared in satisfaction. She was perfect. And he was…

'Maybe, Kagome, maybe one day I will be able to see myself like you do.'

-x-

~And he takes her in his arms but he doesn't know why,
But he thinks that he begins to see.~

-x-

Warm, summer sunshine filled the room and the figure in the bed stirred. He blinked and realized that he could see nothing but darkness. His nose picked up a scent of her.

'Kagome.'

He buried his face deeper in the black curtain of her hair. His clawer fingers brushed her hair slowly, but she didn't move.

'Will she regret this?' His youkai dangerously growled in the cage of his mind.

"I won't let you regret it." He murmured.

'Even if you do, I don't think I have the strength to let you go.' Then he just watched the shadows play in the ceiling until the beauty beneath his stirred.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't ever leave me." He squeezed her tighter. She sighed and put her head on his chest. He continued to brush her hair absently.

"What are you doing?" She asked when she was finally awake enough to notice the strange administration. He gazed at her with those gold pools, looking dumbfounded.

"I'm grooming you."

"Oh." She said and blushed.

"Keh. Don't think about it, it's just to show trust. It's what mates do." He blurted out. She raised herself up and stared at him for a couple of second. Then a warm smile lightened up her face and she hugged him.

"I trust you. Now turn around. I wanna groom, too." He did like she told and she giggled.

"Obedient puppy." He growled lightly and she giggled more.

"Do I really look like a puppy to you?" He felt her fingers massage his scalp and brush his hair lightly.

'This is… relaxing.' He unconsciously leaned into her touch even more.

"Well, not now, but when I do this for an example…" Her fingers traced the outline of his ear and a low purr rose in his chest. She continued to touch his ears as she grinned to herself.

"See, you purr."

"I am not a cat. I do not purr, I growl." She put her arms around his waist and leaned her head to rest on his shoulder.

"As you say Koinu." He snarled as laughter shook her. She was warm and all his.

'Keh, I can live with a nickname as long as she is with me.'

-x-
~She says:
'Don't let go,
Never give up its such a wonderful life,
Don't let go,
Never give up its such a wonderful life'~

-x-

"Inuyasha, do you ever wonder how will your kids look like?" He turned her head at her in the confusion. They were sitting at a nice café, away from their apartment, and discussing various things.

"Well, I want a daughter who will look just like their mother. Silky black hair which I could groom. And a son who will have blue eyes like her. And more children with her amazingly big heart. And maybe twins…"

"Okay, stop right there buddy. Just how many children you want?" He grinned at her and a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.

"All I can get." She sighed and shook her head.

"Typical men. I want children, although I am not the one who gets pregnant." She snarled playfully and furrowed her eyebrows.

"What about you Kagome?" The girl chirped and her eyes shone with happiness.

"Oh I want my children to have little twitching dog ears. That's so cute. And definitely your eyes. They are… breathtaking." Blood rushed to his face and he knew he look like he was on fire.

"We'll see. After all, there's all time in the world."

-x-

~Don't let go,
Never give up its such a wonderful life,
Don't let go,
Never give up its such a wonderful life.~

-x-

"You are not the air that I breathe; you are the sweet scent that drifts upon it."

Blush crept upon her cheeks as she heard his deep voice say those words. There were no second thoughts, not once. From the first moment, she knew this was the man she wanted to spend rest of her life with.

"You are not the food that I need; you are the nourishment of my soul."

They were tied not only physically, but united mentally as well. The charm of having a youkai, or hanyou, as a mate. Her soul belonged to him now. Just like her heart always did.

"You are not my will to survive; you are my reason for living."

No, not what makes him alive, but why. His eyes darted away from the paper and into empty space. He waited for her reaction. She put a finger on her chin, like she was thinking and the chuckled.

"So, you like the wedding vows?" He wanted a human marriage even thought they were married by youkai laws. He said it was because of her mother. 'You don't want to disappoint her. She would like to see her only daughter get married.' But she knew him better. He wanted to make everyone happy. A ring on her finger would spare her of unwanted glances. He would have his proof for the humans that she indeed belonged to him. And her mother would see her get married. It was a win-win situation.

"You don't need those poetic words to express your feeling."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I love you in every way possible."

"I love you, too."

-x-

~She says:
'Don't let go,
Never give up,
Don't let go,
Never give up its such a wonderful life.'~

-x-

The silver-haired man quietly put a bouquet of flowers on the grave. Three years had passed since she died, and yet, he remembered like it was yesterday.

"So here we are." He whispered and brushed the cold stone of the grave.

"I'll never regret knowing you, no matter what you put me through. Because if you didn't…" If she didn't… If she loved him like he did her… Maybe his life would be different. Maybe this emptiness he felt would be gone.

"Do you know why I don't regret it? Because if you hadn't left me… If you hadn't gone with him in that car… If you were still alive… I would never met her. I would never meet Kagome. And I would probably be dead, drowned in the sorrow that you left me in." The wonderful woman replaced that same emptiness, and for once he felt like he belonged.

"So I will never regret it. You made my life better. Goodbye Kikyou."

-x-
~Wonderful life, wonderful life, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful life,
Wonderful life, wonderful life, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful life.~

-x-

The piercing scream echoed the walls of the house.

"What!" The raven crossed her arms and stared at her new husband, mate, whatever, in disbelief.

"And you were going to tell me when?" The said man stood in front of her, scratching his ear.

"I… um…" She shot him a deadly glare and her eyes narrowed.

"I forgot."

"You forgot that you mate was pregnant for two weeks? What if I didn't go to see the doctor? Would you tell me?"

"You are mad about that?"

Okay, definitely not the reaction he expected. He knew that she was pregnant, and every night she was asleep he would sniff her belly and inhale the new scents. His child, their child growing inside of her was perfect. He was scared of her reaction when she found out she was carrying a hanyou's baby.

And he thought that was the reason she was screaming at him right now. Not because he didn't have the guts to tell her. Her suddenly eyes became teary.

"Why? Is it because you don't want it? Is it because I will get fat?" He was dumbstruck. He slowly stepped towards her and gave her a reassuring hug.

"I want him Kagome. Or her. And it doesn't matter if you will be fat. You will be beautiful even then. You will always be beautiful in my eyes." She continued sobbing in his chest.

"Then why didn't you-?"

"I was afraid, okay? You are young Kag and I thought that you won't want children now." She smacked him and smiled while her eyes glistered with tears.

"I will always want everything that's yours."

-x-

~Don't let go,~

-x-

The man gazed at the vast sea beneath. He was happy, unlike the last time. His ear twitched as he recognized his mate's soft footsteps.

"Hi." She whispered and kissed him on the lips.

"A year has passed." He whispered into the wind. She nodded.

"Amazing how things can change in such short time." He gazed at her abdomen and smiled.

"Indeed." His hand searched for her and gripped it tightly. And they stood there, just gazing at the ocean in silence. There was no storm neither on the horizon or their life.

The broken hanyou was now patched up and fulfilled. The lonely girl was now a soon-to-be mother.

He had the family he always wanted. She had him.

Their happily ever after had begun.

-x-

~Don't let go.~

-x-

~*END*~