Shikigami

Epilogue

"Brother! Hurry up, you're going to be late!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Komui hurriedly put the pile of papers away, stood up and dust off his robe. Then he walked round the low table and followed Lenalee outside.

The weather was fine, a faint breeze allowed the temperature to be bearable. All the gardens of the temple were covered with flowers of many colours, and all the trees were as green as ever. Komui breathed in the fresh air and smiled. It was really a good day. He turned to Lenalee:

"So it's been two years already, huh?"

The girl nodded, a faint smile on her lips as she looked towards the forest.

"Let's go, the others are waiting for us." She said, pulling Komui's sleeve. Indeed, a bit farther away, Lavi were waving at them; next to him were standing Tiedoll, Nine, Cross and a few others. As the siblings arrived, Cross snickered:

"You like making us wait, Komui."

"Sorry sorry, I was a bit busy, but let's go now."

The group of Exorcists exited the temple and walked towards the forest, led by Lavi and Lenalee, who was carrying some flowers with her. As they walked deeper through the trees, they could hear the sounds of many youkai living their own lives, completely oblivious of the humans' presence. Birds were flying from one tree to another, sometimes a furtive silhouette could be seen crossing the path quickly and disappear under a bush; the forest was as living as ever.

The Exorcists followed the path deeper and deeper, until they reached a clearing. In the middle of that clearing was an erected stone.

"We've arrived, Allen." Lenalee murmured.

The Exorcists placed themselves around the stone and Lenalee stepped forward. She knelt down in front of the stone and put the flowers on the grass. Then she stood up and took a deep inspiration.

"My dear friends," she started, "It's been two years since Allen left us and went back to his ancestors..."

The war was really over.

Now the whole country was buzzing around to rebuild everything that had been destroyed by the youkai.

At the temple, life resumed as best as possible. Injuries were healed, mostly and new apprentices kept coming to the temple to become Exorcists. None of them noticed that one Exorcist was missing.

Far from there, somewhere in the forest, a certain silver-headed was sitting comfortable in a certain demon's lap, eyes closed. He wasn't sleeping though.

"Kanda..." the boy murmured. He received no answer, but he knew that the said Kanda was listening. "I'm feeling tired."

The demon didn't reply. He knew it. He knew that life was escaping from the boy's body, body which had been too strained by power. Too strained by a curse. Because Kanda knew, he didn't feel the need to reply. He didn't resist when Allen moved up and put his lips close to his own; on the contrary, he even leant down and accepted the kiss with no struggle.

For some reason, he realized that the boy's warmth against him had become something necessary to him. He tightened his embrace around the Exorcist, to feel more of that warmth, more of those lips, more of him.

Hours passed, the two of them hadn't separated even for one second. When Kanda looked at Allen, he noticed the boy's face getting paler and paler. His breathing had started slowing down too.

Damn power.

"Kanda..." Allen called once again, "I'm feeling tired..."

Silence.

"What will do you after?"

The demon didn't need to ask after what. He shrugged.

"Don't bother about that."

"You'll come and visit me sometimes?"

"Che."

Silence.

"Kanda..."

Silence.

"I'm tired... I think I'll rest for a while."

Silence. For good.

Kanda didn't let go of Allen's body, even when the sky had turned pitch black. They were in a clearing bathed by moonlight, and the reflects on Allen's hair made them look like real silver.

Kanda kissed those lips one last time and laid the body carefully on the soft grass.

The following day, an erected stone would take its place.

"... always remember you. And I'm sure Kanda must come around here pretty often. If you ever happen to see him, say hello to him for us, Allen."

Lenalee had finished talking and raised her eyes to the other people around her. They were silent, but they didn't look sad. It was a fine day after all.

Later on, as they all left the place, Lenalee caught some movements in the trees in the corner of her eyes. When she turned her head to that direction, the last thing she saw was a cascade of dark hair and a long piece of black cloth disappearing in the depths of the forest.

She smiled.