The Pros and Cons of Breathing

Blurry.

Everything was distorted around him. His comrades. His surroundings. The enemy. He blinked, trying to see through the battlefield. The ground was torn up from the countless strikes his hanyou friend had shot towards Naraku, over and over. From the side, he could make out the white and green uniform of the young miko, keeping a close watch from the side of the battle. He unconsciously tightened his grip around his staff, pulling himself upright. He had been about ready to attack when he was hit in the chest, completely winded. He had flown back a few yards, but not out of danger.

All around him, it seemed that the cries of his friends only increased. He would be there with them if he could only breathe. He patted his chest a few times, slowly trying to get the flow of air back into his lungs. Throughout his panting, he could feel the scorch of the stale air against his throat. How he wanted something to douse the pain. Douse the fiery attack on his lungs. On his heart.

"Houshi-sama!" He heard Sango cry, alerting him of an oncoming attack. He narrowly escaped from being decapitated. He rubbed his eyes, letting his eyes sight come back to normal. Perfect 20/20. He gave one look at the miko, making sure the schoolgirl was safe from any attacks. Then he went to get back into the fight. This was the day where it was either his demise, or that bastard's.

It was long since they had taken out Naraku's incarnations—Kanna and Kagura. She had fallen in a bloody heap, smirking as she spat out her last words. Her words for

Naraku to burn in hell. It was 4 against 1, but with the Shikon shards, he was more powerful. None of them had been seriously injured, only minor bruising and cuts. But as the battled waged on, it was harder to keep track of the demon.

It continued; all a blur as everyone attacked. The voices were jumbled together until he couldn't hear a thing. His lungs were being squeezed for air, his limbs getting tired from dodging all of the attacks sent his way. He cursed Naraku again as he stood up, blocking one blow with his staff.

With Naraku's poisonous insects buzzing around, he couldn't exactly use the wind tunnel. But the urge to risk his own life for his friends was too great. He glanced over at Sango, watching as she jumped up to catch her giant boomerang. But as she did so, he watched as one of Naraku's tentacles shoot out from the ground behind her.

"Sango!" He screamed, his voice panicked as he watched the scene unfold. Though he must have underestimated the woman as she twisted the weapon around to protect her body. Instead of a critical hit, it only took a chunk from her thigh. He let out a sigh of relief, hardly noticing an attack sent his way. No one warned him, and he didn't even see it coming.

Before he could defend himself in anyway, two tentacles took a hold of the monk and grasped him tightly. They began tightening, and he felt like it was trying to squeeze his insides out through his mouth. He cried out in pain, grabbing at the appendage in his poor attempts to let go. He cried out again, the limbs tightening. And for a split second, he thought this was his end.

But once again, Sango came to his rescue. He fell to the ground harshly, having even more troubles breathing. He wrapped an arm around his chest, trying to offer some relief to the burning pain that had enveloped his torso.

He hung his head in shame, feeling low. He felt almost helpless on this battlefield, holding nothing but a few charms and a staff for attacking. Whereas everyone else had something that made more of an impact than anything else. Inuyasha with his sword, Sango with her boomerang, Kagome with her bow and enchanted arrows, and Kirara with her claws and fangs. He felt completely useless. He tried to help, but he always got himself into a jam. And it was always his friends that had to bail him out. It was truly pathetic.

But then he looked down the hand grasping his body. He looked at the rosary and violet cloth wrapped around his hand. He pulled his hand away from his body and looked at his palm. Right where the kazaana was. He glanced back up at the scene, watching for a moment as his friend fought. Inuyasha was hacking away at the attacks sent his way, whilst keeping an ear trained on Kagome. Kagome, was standing with Shippo, a bow and arrow in hand, ready to shoot at the right moment. Sango was off fighting with a wound in her leg and a few on her battered arms. She was shedding too much blood from his point of view.

And Kirara? She was standing by her mistress, protecting her and fighting herself. He knew what he had to do. If he died doing it, then so be it. He just hoped that he could save his friends for once. He closed his eyes for a moment and thought about how much he owed his friends. He owed Inuyasha his life. He owed Kagome his happiness. And he owed Sango his heart. He reopened his eyes with determination evident in them. With a little trouble he stumbled up, having just enough energy to do this one thing.

With a deep breath he grasped a hold of the rosary and yelled "Kazaana!" before he ripped off the restraints.

He paid no heed to the insects as they were pulled into his wind tunnel, and prayed that none of his friend got in the way. He felt the loose dirt get swept up, the blood, the limbs that hadn't regenerated. He slid in the dirt a bit, the pressure from the tunnel great to his weakened body. But he kept his face determined as he watched slowly as Naraku began sliding in his direction.

Out of the corners of his eyes his saw his friend's react. Inuyasha raised his sword into the backlash wave, just as Kagome let go of her enchanted arrow. Instead of glowing pink like it normally did, the arrow was a bright blue, leaving a long trail behind it. He could barely see anything when a bright glow exploded where Naraku was. But he did not close up his tunnel as his friend's stood still, waiting for the haze to disappear.

Miroku kept his eyes trained on the area before his kazaana, watching as slowly the haze began to die. And he watched as chunks of flesh were sucked up into his tunnel. He closed his eyes as a wave of pain hit him, most likely from the poison. But he stayed strong, feeling the flesh being sucked up. The feeling began to numb, even as the wind's whipped around him fiercely. It all was lost as he focused on the one thing he would miss if he died. Sango.

He'd miss the way she laughed, the way she'd blush when he got too close. He had to admit, that he'd miss the occasional slaps he received when his hands wandered. He'd miss her smiles, her voice, and all the talks they shared. He'd miss the way his heart beat like he was flying whenever she was near. He'd miss her altogether. The sparkle in her eyes, her rough exterior, and her kind heart. He just wished that he could've told her how he felt. If it weren't for the curse, he could've lived happily with her.

But that wasn't reality. This was.

He was too absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the wind die down. He didn't notice the pressure alleviate from his palm. He didn't notice the hole shrink down to nothing. But he did notice that it was all over, especially when he reopened his eyes. The battlefield was torn up and it looked as if a tornado had run through. Kagome and Shippo ran towards the group, Inuyasha nearly crushing Kagome in his embrace. Maybe now he would notice his love for the miko.

He peeked at Sango, seeing a smile on her face. She turned to look at him, just to see him smile softly before he fell to the ground. His head felt dizzy and his body weak. But strangely, he didn't feel the pain that the poisonous insects left behind. He couldn't feel the poison coursing through his veins. All he felt was numbness.

He raised his left hand in front of his face, finally seeing his palm rather than the cloth and rosary that he had his whole life. It's gone, he thought. It's finally gone. He smiled softly at his hand, having a hard time believing that he had escaped the curse. He had done what his family had failed to do. He wasn't going to be devoured by the kazaana. He wasn't going to die. Naraku was annihilated, and he could live peacefully—with Sango.

"Houshi-sama!" Sango called, rushing to his side to see if he was injured. He had a feeling that he had fractured a rib or two, but nothing critical. She stooped at his side, getting onto her hands and knees. He looked up at her, seeing that she was okay. She was beat up, with blood nearly coating her torso from a wound in her side, but nothing critical. A line of dry blood ran down her chin, already turning a darkened brown.

In the soft light that was provided, he could only see an angel above him. A beauty that couldn't be tamed. Her hair was poking out in front of her eyes and a few dirt patches stained her skin. He smiled as she looked away from his eyes and to his hand that was still suspended above his body. She grasped it gently and peered down at it, seeing nothing but a faint dot in the center of his palm.

"It's really gone," she whispered as she fingered the dot. He nearly choked on the air he was breathing in, trying to keep his heart beat steady. It was hard to get air into his lungs when he was within her presence. She made everything in his body stop functioning.

"Sango," he said as he sat up with one thing set in mind. She backed up a little, retracting her head as he turned towards her. She expected a long speech or an apology for saving his life, but he didn't say anything. Instead, rather, he raised his hand to her face, brushing the hair from her face. His head moved towards hers with haste, not wanting to delay anything. He pressed his lips eagerly against hers, trying to show how long he had waited to do so.

It took her a moment to realize what was going on, but by then, he had broken the kiss, but not moved out of her personal space.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that." He whispered as he caught his breath.

"You don't know how long I've wanted that."

He smiled as she leant in and returned the favor, and kissed him. It was chaste and short, but it still meant so much to him.

"And there's something else," he said before she could catch him once more.

"What?" There was a flicker of fear in her eyes, and he smiled. She was the only one for him, he knew it.

"I've finally fallen for your violent ways." He said with a laugh. "I have loved you since I was smart enough to realize it. Forgive the lateness of my confession."

"You're forgiven."

He kissed her again; only with so much love that he was afraid he was going to burst. It was probably Sango's first real kiss, and he was so honored to deliver it. He placed a hand behind her hand, pulling her closer than she already was. He had expected her to taste like so many things, but not like this. She tasted so amazing, like fire. She was burning his lips, but it felt so good that he didn't want to pull away. Or that was until the familiar burning feeling infiltrated his lungs.

"I think I've fallen for you too." She whispered, her forehead pressed against his.

Like long ago, he smiled. And for once, his dream could become reality. For the kazaana was gone, and he had his love. He had Sango. And that was all that mattered.

I love this pairing. With Inuyasha and Kagome it's all fun and, just casual. But with Sango and Miroku is different. It's real, and sweet and just different. They're just the best. Tell me what you think.

Melody Unwinding