Disclaimer: 犬夜叉はこの私の物ではございません。素晴らしい高橋留美子という漫画家のイデアでございます。私はただちょっとキャラを借りております。
読んでくださって感謝しております。皆様楽しんでください。

I do not own Inuyasha. It is the (honourable) idea of the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi. I am merely (humbly) borrowing the characters for a little while. I am very grateful for your reading my story. Please enjoy.

Kokoro Fukuramaseru Kotoba : Words That Make the Heart Grow
Inuyasha and Kagome were welcomed back by a very ecstatic Sango, a sly Miroku filled with 'suggestions' for the development of their relationship, a breathless Shippo who decided to cry for no less than a whole hour upon their return, with a very comforting Kagome rocking him and whispering to him in youkai-speak, and a very irate Inuyasha grumbling.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

Life in Inuyasha's time was not easy, but she was happy to be surrounded by her beloved make-shift family. Their wedding was nothing elaborate; it involved a few of their older friends- such as Jineji – the horse hanyou – who did Kagome's bouquet, and Shiori- the little bat hanyou-girl they had saved from her grandfather in their quest to strengthen Tetsusaiga- helping with things for their new house.

Shippo lived with them, and developed into a very handsome kitsune-youkai who was as sharp-witted as Miroku, and oftentimes just as perverted. Kagome had been partially surprised at the changes, but understood that mischievousness and wiles were part of his heritage as a fox and she accepted them, in moderation, naturally. Shippo's popularity with women increased exponentially with each passing year, and truly, there had been many volunteering to marry him, or in other ways 'pass the time' together, but he was adamant. He refused everyone, much to the surprise of his adoptive parents. When asked why he had merely shrugged:

"I'm waiting for the woman who will pull the arrow out of my heart."
It had made Kagome and Inuyasha suddenly realize just how much he had grown, not only in body, but in mind, and both felt an overwhelming sense of pride (albeit Inuyasha's unwillingness to admit it).
The woman did come, some twenty years later, in the form of a neko-hanyou. His parents were surprised, but accepting. It had been a healing curve particularly for Inuyasha who finally saw that half-demons could be accepted in all earnest by others, and was finally convinced no pity came into play regarding Kagome's feelings for him.
Shippo and Saiyūmi married following youkai customs, and ruffling many a youkai's feathers in doing so. There were many who complained at a half-demon being chosen as a mate for a full demon, but none dared act on their complaints and risk embittering their relationship with the famed half-demon Inuyasha who had slain the nefarious Naraku and restored them some sense of freedom. Shippo and Saiyūmi had moved to their own den, at long last granting Inuyasha and Kagome time on their own. He never did forget his roots and often visited his adopted parents – he and his wife always being received with warm kindness.

The fear of Kagome's inevitable mortality was unspoken of. It was there, and it made them take things one day at a time, but it became rather obvious after two decades that Kagome had stopped aging somewhere around twenty. Inuyasha was partly ecstatic and partly horrified, knowing well the pains of a long life. The first stepping stone were the deaths of Sango and Miroku who, having lived to the venerable ages of eighty three and eighty-four respectively, had passed in their sleep at the same time. It was their eldest daughter, Kikyo, who had found them the following day seemingly asleep, yet unmoving. Both Kagome and Inuyasha took the news hard, though Kagome particularly inclined to emotionality had suffered the loss more keenly. Their pain was lessened with the arrival of their first children- twins: Keitaro and Maiko. Inuyasha and Kagome had felt that wounds were much too raw to name them after their dear friends.

The day of the funeral seemed like a nightmare at first. Everyone felt themselves falling apart at the seams. Before they could bury the bodies, however, they saw with wonder they had begun to morph. Slowly they shifted until they became two trees, with their branches entwined as they had been when they had died-hand in hand-a linden tree and an oak. For many generations the tale of the monk and the taijiya who would not be parted even in death was used as a parable to teach strength of relationships and wholesomeness of marriage.

Every year to commemorate the two families would meet and hang ribbons in the branches of the trees – purple for Sango, blue for Miroku – rejoicing in the knowledge that they continued to be together in whatever world they were.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

The well had, indeed, closed but it had not been immediately after the wishing on the Jewel; it had remained open for entire years on end, even allowing Kagome to present her children to her mother and smile at her obvious relief upon seeing the twitchy little ears atop their little heads. As great as her mother's happiness was at having puppy-dog-eared grandchildren, Kagome couldn't help feeling a twinge at Inuyasha's obvious discomfort with the turn-out. She could understand how his childhood would make him fear his children would bear a similar fate, but she was determined to not let it pass.

In the end, his children were his children, and he did love them dearly, as was shown by his sudden metamorphosis into a mother-hen as soon as he held them the first time.

It was beautiful, Kagome thought in earnest. The moment he had laid eyes on Keitaro and Maiko his whole demeanor changed, and he literally radiated happiness. There had even been a familiar shine to his eyes that had told her how much it all meant to him. It had been a day of many firsts – for Kagome as well as for Inuyasha – but the most precious of his acts occurred later on that evening when, after putting the twins to bed in their little cots next to the futon, he had confessed to her in trembling tones:

"I'm glad."

Those two words were all he could get out before crushing her to himself and running shaky fingers through her hair. His heart was racing, and for a moment she didn't know what to make of it, until she felt it: the familiar soft whispers of her name meshed with the smallest of tremors. Her own hands wove themselves around him, tight at first, then gently pulling him away.

Indeed, she had not been mistaken, his fringe was covering his eyes but she could clearly see the tear-tracks down his face. He was so very vulnerable at the heart of it all, she knew, but the fact he had allowed her to see him in such a state spoke volumes of his trust in her. Her own eyes spilled tears of gratitude at being able to be with him in such a way and seeing how very beautiful, how very fragile, how very precious he was.

She kissed his cheeks over and over, thanking him for believing in her and sharing himself so openly, and he finally dared to look up. The sheer emotion his eyes exuded was enough to drown her. He was real! He was hers! Most importantly, he was happy – openly happy. No lingering shadows of his past, no fear, no remorse. Just happiness.

He had grown so much since their early days, and finally had become the half-demon she knew he could be all along.

"Mate..." he nuzzled her cheek lovingly.

"Mate..." she answered back in inu-youkai.

Author's Note: Welcome to the end of Words that Comfort Words that Break. It has been a wonderful journey, and I feel I have grown in my way of writing since its beginnings. Thank you to all of you who have supported me with your feedback :)

In terms of hits and reviews, it is my most popular story to date currently on 7568 hits and 87 reviews. I must admit, I'm feeling a little dejected at the thought of such little feedback, but, one must be thankful for what they do have, yes?


I would be very grateful if you would help me make 100 reviews...just to make it a nice round number...and plus it would be a first for me :)

Anyways, a few translation notes:


neko-hanyou: half cat-demon
Saiyūmi: the name was carefully chosen because I wanted something proper and properly Japanese. Thus, I picked 細優美. The 3 kanji mean lithe/slender, graceful/affectionate/suave, and beautiful, respectively. It is quite common for girls's names to end in -ko or -mi (Hanako, Masako, Yuko, Aiko, Ayumi, Itsumi, Ikumi, Kimi, etc), so I thought it would be appropriate in this case. I don't believe the kanji I chose are often put in compounds for names, but Rumiko Takahashi also doesn't stick to conventional name compounds anyway (Hello! Sesshomaru: kill/life/circle. Literally. Combined it means 'killing perfection' and that's because 'maru' or 'circle' represents the concept of completeness, and thus, perfection.)

I think that's it. Also, please forgive my keigo (formal Japanese), I'm quite rusty.

Lastly, a big thank you to ALL who reviewed: bakabaka135, metalcherry, Neisha, Dark-Lady-Shippo, Raelesti, Night's Spell, evolmonkey1096, Romantical Inu-lover, Meiun Tenshi, Tifa Sohma, InuGoddess715, drummergirl1038, AnimeMiko15, krizue, narniaqueen33, Deborah, SpriteOfTheLight, mlt17, Le Chat Gris, demented-squirrel, mysterychild, Chi Bara, Metballheadedprincess14, Wolf-worrior01, B.D. Gerretson, life-as-we-know-it, cold-shadow-jx, fairyxofxfaith, sarah, Sarai D. Lee, lovemelifeless, liteonit, InuRoyTohru, i am no one and i stand alone, k40sohma, Kurtrenia - CrimsonBloodRomance, THE-REAL-MYSTIC, Vkiffin, and Sailor Star Super (in no particular order).

Thank you all VERY much for a wonderful journey, and I hope you have enjoyed my story. I look very much forward to hearing your comments:D Arigatoo gozaimasu.