Sweatest Tears

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I, wolfYLady, own nothing as I am nothing more than a humble writer whose entertainment comes from manipulating fictional characters. The characters depicted in this story belong to their respective owners and creators. Again, I own nothing!

Summary: Kagome was done being a hero; in fact, she was happy to live the life of an average college student and feed the occasional youkai in the park. After her grandfather's death, Kagome's life is disrupted when she's kidnapped by an Ogre, claiming her as his bride.

Enjoy!

As the first day of spring arrived amidst lingering winter chills, Kagome Higurashi felt an unnatural coldness settle deep within her bones. The phone call that morning had shattered the calm of their home; they raced to the train station, all in the hope of making it to the hospital in time to say their final goodbye. But they would arrive too late, and the news of her beloved grandfather Shiro's sudden passing hit them hard. It felt like winter had descended once again upon their family, even as the first buds of spring bloomed on barren tree limbs outside.

Shiro had been a larger-than-life figure, a wild and free-spirited man who had lived life on his own terms, with little regard for societal norms. He had often been criticized for his many extra-marital affairs, and the supposed children left as a result, and his reputation had been sullied by rumors of his reckless escapades. He was free-spirited and irresponsible, living solely for the moment and leaving everything up to chance.

Kagome had always been close to her grandfather, who had taught her to cook and had given her unwavering support when her spiritual powers had "reawakened" (as he called it) at the age of fifteen following her accidental trip through the well on their family shrine. She remembered how he would jokingly express his jealousy of her adventures in the distant past as she regaled him with tales of her time with Inuyasha and the others. He always promised to take her to the Hidden realm when she turned twenty, an adventure they would sadly never be able to take.

And yet, as the day of his funeral came, Kagome was awed by the throngs of mourners that came to pay their last respects; the lines of people seemed endless, and stories of his wild exploits were exchanged like war stories. For ever one person who despised him, there was another who admired him. But amidst the cutting remarks about his personality, there was a shared sense of respect for the man who had lived so fiercely and who had left an indelible mark on those whose lives he had touched. A softer and kinder side of Grandfather Shiro emerged, leaving an indelible impression on those present.

Grandpa Akihito Higurashi, who had known Shiro the longest and had traversed realms with him, sang his praises the loudest, sharing stories of their wild exploits with a mix of laughter and tears.

As Kagome perused the photo albums left behind, she smiled despite her overwhelming urge to cry. Grandpa Shiro would never have wanted her to cry. "Oh, that's a photo from the Hidden realm," Grandpa Akihito came over to her, his eyes taking on a nostalgic twinkle. It was a black-and-white photo from nearly fifty years ago. ." This is from our stay at Tenjinya." He took the time to point himself and Shiro out, looking youthful in matching uniforms and cloak-like jackets. Her grandfather's smirk was forever captured in black and white, radiating an air of mischief.

'So, besides Grandpa Shiro and Akihito, everyone else in the photo must be a youkai.'

Her gaze briefly lingered on the man in the center of the photo; for some reason, she imagined him to have glowing red eyes. Kagome closed the photo album, joining her family, eager to hear more tales of her grandfather. Although he was gone, the stories of Shiro's vibrant life would live on, forever a testament to the free-spirited and audacious man that he was.