Brick
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or the song. Lyrics from "Brick" by Ben Folds Five.
"6am. Day after Christmas.
I throw some clothes on in the dark.
The smell of cold, car seat is freezing
The world is sleeping
I am numb..."
" 'Morning."
In the crisp air, his greeting explodes into white dust. He stands next to his beat-up car, hands in his jeans pockets.
" 'Morning," she whispers back.
He searches her face for some sort of emotion; unease, fear, hesitation; but all he sees is a blank wall. She avoids his gaze as she opens the passenger side door."Sango... you don't have to do this."
"Miroku. Not now. Don't tell me that now."
A Few Weeks Earlier
They sat in Miroku's car with the radio volume turned down.
"You have something to tell me, Sango?"
Sango tensed up and shifted in her seat... but she remained silent. Something was different. Normally, Miroku would have pushed the issue, but the look in her big brown eyes was enough to make him hold his tongue. She slowly closed her eyelids and shakily let out a breath.
Her words left Miroku choking for air. His mind was a vacuum. For once in his life, Miroku was speechless.
The radio played on, oblivious to the discomfort of the couple in the car.
"She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly"
I didn't know what to say, how to respond. I'm not ready for that responsibility. She has such a bright future ahead of her. Why did this happen?
He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Sango flinched and drew away.
"She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly…"
A Few Weeks Later
"Sango? Dinner's ready. Aren't you hungry?"
When Sango didn't respond, her mother went up to her room to find her sitting balled up on her bed, silent tears streaming down her face...
"What's wrong?"
Sango simply looked at the floor, not blinking, rocking back and forth.
When he got the call from Sango's mother, Miroku ran out the door. He arrived to find Sango and her parents sitting in the living room.
"Miroku, do you know what's wrong? We can't get anything out of Sango."
One look at Sango and Miroku's heart dropped into his stomach. Her hair was disheveled, the bags under her eyes showed that she hadn't slept in days. She had lost weight. He could hear her mumbling under her breath.
"I'm so sorry."
Miroku sank to the floor.
"Forgive me, Sango."
"She broke down, I broke down, cause I was tired of lying..."
Her mother burst into tears. Her father jolted out of his seat and punched Miroku. He then retreated in silence into the kitchen with his fists still clenched. Sango's mother joined him.
Miroku looked across the room. His face was numb. It should hurt, but he felt nothing.
"Sango..."
"For the moment we're alone..."
"Sango, please look at me."
Miroku knelt beside her, pleading. He placed his hand softly on her cheek. Smile like you used to, Sango. Memories... He remembered the way she would smile when he caressed her hair. He remembered how she would giggle when he stole one of her French fries. She would slap his hand playfully as he feigned innocence. Innocence... He could still feel the soft touch of her hand in his. He could still see her eyelashes fluttering delicately as his lips grazed hers. But now those were all just memories...
"Miroku..."
Miroku was shaken from his thoughts when he heard Sango call his name. Her voice rasped as though it hadn't been used for days. His name seemed to drain her of all strength, as though it had been wrenched almost painfully from her throat.
"She's alone... and I'm alone..."
Sango looked into Miroku's eyes. In that instant, he saw an endless ocean of sorrow, tears that had not been shed, words that had not been said. He could feel his heart sinking into its depths. Suddenly, she turned away from him, and his hand dropped to the floor.
"She's alone... and I'm alone... And now I know it."
For the next few hours, they sat there in silence a few inches apart, closing their eyes as if the resulting darkness would swallow up their reality and render it into a simple nightmare. Their hands rested on the carpet floor, next to each other but never touching. Never touching.
"She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly..."
A/N: Hello everyone! My first fanfic EVER!! Why did it have to be so dark??! I was inspired while listening to "Brick" and I had to get it out. Tying it to Inuyasha was mainly so I could post... Sorry the formatting sucks. I don't know how this thing works. (it won't even let me type my faces! argh) I don't know if I will ever post again but oh well. :p