1Firefly

By: Karlene Ramirez

She looked out the window with worried eyes. Was she really ready? Was it right for her to tell him she was ready? It's not like she didn't love him, that's the last thing she wanted him to think. She was just scared. The moon light shined into the small hut. She sat alone, waiting for him to return.

"Sango," said a soft voice from behind the door. Sango saw Miroku's shadowy figure peering from the paper thin door. He slid the door slowly and looked at her seating near the window. She turned her head quickly making sure not to look at him in the eyes. She could hear his foot steps getting closer to her. He sat down beside her, "InuYasha and Kagome went to her era. She said they will be gone for three days."

"Shippo and Kirara?" asked Sango still looking out the window.

"Shippo and Kirara are with Kaede. They both are fast asleep." Miroku placed his hands on Sango's shoulder. She liked his touch but started shaking in fear. He could feel her tension. "Sango, is everything okay?"

She didn't want to tell him the truth. All she wanted was to make him happy. This is what he desired most. She didn't want to take it away from him. "Miroku," she said with a hesitant voice, "I... I..." Miroku tried to look at her eyes but she kept moving away from him. She placed her hand in his and finally turned and looked at him. "I can't..." She said with a tear falling down her left eye. The tear took Miroku by surprise. Why was she so upset?

"I just can't do it, I'm not ready." Miroku couldn't come up with anything to say. Why had she told him she was if she was in fact scared? Her eyes spoke of doubt and hopelessness. She leaned over to him and rested her head on his chest. He placed his hand over her head. She cried a little more on his chest before lifting her head. She kissed him on the cheek, gently. He could feel her cold tears as her lips touched his cheek. She stood up and walked to the door, "I'm sorry." She ran out the door, leaving Miroku alone in the small hut.

The sunshine rose and slowly walked out of the small hut he had stayed in the night before. The sunlight shined brightly on his face, it was a beautiful day. The sky was blue with no clouds in sight. He could hear the bird singing their morning song and the water flowing down the nearby river. It was nothing less than perfect.

He rubbed his eyes, still trying to wake up from the long night of thinking he had done. He couldn't get it out of his mind, the small tear that ran down her face. It had shocked him in more ways that he ever felt possible. He should have wrapped his arms around her and told her that everything was going to be okay but he didn't. He let her runaway, in to the dark night.

He walked away from the hut only thinking of her as he walked along the green grass of the ground. The nearby village wasn't too far away, but he didn't want to go there. He knew that Sango would be there, still thinking about last night. He had never realized how much pressure he must have put on her. He didn't want her to feel that she had to do it. He wanted her to feel as if they were doing it together by choice, not my force. He felt small and unpleasant. He hated the feeling of guilt. All he wanted was to hold her in his arms and forget everything that happened the night before.

She hadn't slept all night. Why did she leave like that? Why didn't she just stay by his side? Sango was scared, scared to hear what Miroku had to say about her. She had lied to him, telling him she was ready but backing down at the last minute. There was no point in thinking about it anymore. She had done that all night.

She stood up from the floor of Kaede's home and walked out to the village. She looked around and saw everyone in the village alive and happy. Nothing was out of the ordinary. She stretched her arms and legs as she walked around the village. "Sango," screamed a small voice from behind her. She turned around to find Shippo and Kirara running up to her. She bent down and picked up Kirara. She gave her a hug and brushed her cheek on Kirara's fur. "Sango, where is Miroku? Don't tell me he's flirting with the village women again." Sango shook her head. "No, I haven't seen him since yesterday." She walked away from Shippo, leaving him to think why she had such an upset face.

She walked pass the villagers and walked to the exit of the village. She spoke to no one and just walked alone to the river with Kirara in her arms. She looked at the clear flowing water. Small fish jumped out of the clean water of the river. She sat at the edge and just stared at the bright blue sky and the crystal clear water.

"Kirara," she said with a sigh, "I'm so confused. I sometimes think that everything between me and Miroku is all a lie. Do you think he really cared for me? Do I really love him? I mean, what should I do? I told him I was ready but when we finally were going to do it I froze and got scared. Is it because I don't really love him?"

Kirara looked up at her and just meowed. Sango gave Kirara an even bigger hug. "Oh, Kirara my mind is going crazy. I don't know what to do. Maybe he doesn't care if it's me. You see him flirting with all of the girls everywhere we go." Sango just sat back and looked up at the sky. She didn't move all day. She just sat and watched the day go by until the sun set.

He had kept himself away from the village all day. Staying in the small hut all day; waiting to see if she would come back. "I'm a fool," he said to himself, "Why would she come back. All I've ever done was flirt with other women, even in her presences. No wonder she left last night." He walked out into the dark night. The sun had set not so long ago and all of the beautiful sunshine from the day had faded away into the back of the mountains. Miroku was getting a little hungry. Seating around in the hut, he never bothered to find something to eat. He couldn't think about anything other than Sango.

He walked into the forest following the sound of the river that flowed nearby. Crickets played soft music around the forest and no other sound was heard. The night was lit by the full moon and stars shining brightly above Miroku. He could hear himself getting closer to the river. He moved a branch away from his way and saw the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Storms of fireflies flew like dancing stars in the sky all around the plains near the river. The light form the fireflies made the river look like a passage to heaven as the water flowed down like music. He walked into the dream-like atmosphere, feeling as if taken to another world.

Kirara moved suddenly in Sango's arms as she still sat near the river's edge. She had moved all day. The sound of the river and the crickets were like the sounds of ecstasy, there was no sound more beautiful than this. Kirara purred and jumped off of Sango's arms. Sango turned quickly to see where Kirara was going but found someone else standing in the distance.

Miroku looked as Sango moved her face. His breath was taken away from her beauty. The light from the fireflies made her already perfect face look angelic and heavenly. "Sango," he said softly like the wind. He walked closer to her not making another sound.

Sango was shocked. "What is he doing here? Was he looking for me?" she thought. She quickly turned back around but didn't move. He moved to her and sat next to her. He didn't move too close to her but they didn't have too much distance between them. Either looked at each other still thinking the things they had been thinking about since the night before. "I'm sorry," said Sango looking at the river, "I shouldn't have told you I was ready when I wasn't. I'm just a waste of your time."

Miroku was taken back by what she had just said, "Please, Sango, don't say that. I'm the one that should be sorry. I don't blame you if you don't trust me. All I ever do is flirt with other women. I'm sorry for pressuring you to think you had to say yes."

Sango quickly turned to look at Miroku. She grabbed his hands and made him look at her, "No, please don't say that. You didn't pressure me. I wanted to but then when the moment came I just didn't feel ready. It's my fault, I have to may things in my mind and I'm confused by what I want. You such a bother, I'm sorry for ever dragging you into any of my problems. You should be having fun with other women, women with nothing to loss." She turned her head slightly to look away from him. She waited for him to stand up and leave, she was ready for the rejection.

Miroku grabbed Sango and held her tightly in his arms. Sango took a deep breath as Miroku held on to her. "Sango, you are not a bother. I can wait for you. Take your time. I will wait as long as you need. Please don't think these things; the only one I want is you." Sango let a tear fall from her face. She was so happy. All of her worries were for nothing. He really did care for her. "Oh, Miroku, I love you," she whispered in his ear. He pulled her away making sure to look into her eyes, "I love you, Sango."

They both started moving closer to each other finally reaching each others lips. The taste of each other was more than perfect. They held each other closely, making sure not to miss a single bit of passion that flowed through their bodies. As they parted they fell into each others arms. Sango ran her hand down Miroku's back. She patted along his back side. "Sango, what are you doing?" asked Miroku.

"I'm sorry; I just thought this was too good to be true, so I was making sure you weren't Shippo." Miroku tweaked one of his eyes. He placed his hand on her back and slowly started moving it down her body. Sango's eyes opened wide when she felt Miroku's hand caressing her backside. She sat up straight and smacked him in the face, "Now I know it's you, monk." He just smiled and lied down on the floor. She picked up a small yellow flower and lied down beside him. They stayed there until the sun rose again.