I'll Try to Kiss you if you Let Me

The drops of rain they fall all over, this awkward silence makes me crazy. The glow inside burns light upon her. I'll try to kiss you if you let me. (This can't be the end.) Tidal waves, they rip right through me. Tears from eyes roll, cold and sad. Pick me up now, I need you so bad.

Blink-182 'Down'

As Sango tied the last of her demon slayer's armor on, she turned to smile at her two-tailed cat demon. Kirara was giving her mistress a puzzled look.

"Thought we might go out for a day of training." She said to her small friend. In reality, this wasn't really what Sango wanted to do. She just knew she had to escape the village for the day. Or rather, she needed to escape the monk for the day.

After much begging on Kagome's part, Inuyasha had allowed the party to return to the village Kaede lived in. Unfortunately for the half-demon, Kagome ran off to her own time before anyone had woken up. Inuyasha, of course, had followed the school-girl, grumbling the whole time about how he never should have brought them back in the first place. All of this had occurred before Sango woke, but Miroku had told her what had happened as they ate breakfast.

Apparently Kagome's departure had been quite silent, but she nevertheless managed to wake the monk, who was a light sleeper. And, as was to be expected, Inuyasha's leave had been the opposite: loud, and filled with many curses for good measure. Miroku wondered how Sango had managed to sleep through it all.

But Sango had other matters on her mind during breakfast. She had expected Kagome to leave, and was now left with the prospect of spending the whole day with Miroku. Sango worried about what she would do all day, with Miroku so close at hand. She had finally come to the conclusion that she would go out to train and leave the monk to his devices.

Sango walked out of the room she and Kagome had slept in the night before. She felt Miroku looking at her as she pulled her long, dark hair into a high pony-tail.

"Are you going out, Sango-chan?"

"Oh, um, yes," Sango answered. Miroku was kneeling next to a recently extinguished fire. The room smelt of smoke and the odd spicy scent that lingered wherever Miroku had been. If she was honest with herself, Sango had to admit she like this smell.

Miroku smiled serenely.

"Shall I come fetch you at lunch time?" Sango reddened slightly, but nodded.

"Thank you, Houshi-sama." Glancing around, she saw Kirara and nodded her companion out. Sango picked up her weapon and pulled the shoji screen away from the door. The cat demon led her master out, flicking her tails in excitement.

Miroku watched the pair leave and listened as Sango asked Kirara if she was ready. He heard the familiar rushing sound, and knew Kirara was now larger than a full grown lion. He smiled to himself as they took off. He knew perfectly well why Sango had left. While it made him both proud and upset that he made Sango nervous, he was somewhat crushed that she had left and couldn't wait to share lunch with the young demon-slayer.

A few hours later, Sango sat on a tree stump and pushed her sweaty bangs off her forehead. She untied a small water pouch from her waist and took a drink. Kirara, who had resumed her smaller form while they rested, jumped up onto Sango's lap and turned her big eyes on the girl. Sango laughed and poured some water into a small indention on the ground.

"You sure do know what you want, Kirara." She commented as her pet drank the water. I only wish I knew as well. She thought. Sango leaned back and her face felt the relief of a mid-morning breeze.

"Back to it then." The warrior chided herself after a few minutes. "I think I'll work on my strength and speed with Hiraikotsu."

Sango rolled her shoulders to prepare for throwing the heavy boomerang. Kirara turned back into her larger self and growled softly.

"You can race it if you want, silly demon." Sango said with a grin. Then she braced herself, put all her power towards her right arm, and hurled Hiraikotsu through the air. Kirara took off after it. The weapon flew many, many yards before heading back to its owner. Sango braced herself again and caught the boomerang. She smiled.

"That seemed pretty good. What do you think Kirara?" The cat demon gave a roar in agreement. "Faster this time, then." Sango put her whole weight into the throw this time. Hiraikotsu came flying back much sooner than Sango had anticipated. The girl's eyes widened as she jumped back slightly and caught her weapon in her left hand.

Hiraikotsu, however, hadn't been ready to stop when Sango grabbed it out of the air. Its momentum flung her arm and shoulder backwards quickly and painfully. The demon slayer gave a cry of pain and surprise, and promptly dropped her weapon, which tumbled away from her. Kirara came rushing over to her injured master. Sango was gingerly testing her arm out. She knew it wasn't broken, but something was definitely wrong. She forced a smile for her friend's sake.

"It's fine, girl, I just pulled a muscle." I hope. She added in her head. "Miroku will be coming to get us for lunch soon anyhow, so he can make sure nothing's too serious."

Sango turned around to pick Hiraikotsu up, and made sure to lift it with her right arm. Her left one hung oddly limp, but Sango tried to ignore that. She walked back into the village with a small Kirara weaving in between her legs. She met Miroku moving through a small crowd to get to her. He smiled and grabbed her hand. Sango winced slightly as he tugged on her injured arm. Miroku stopped walking at once; he had heard her wince.

"Did I hurt you, Sango-chan?"

"N-no, I hurt myself while I was training." Shame filled Sango's face as she blushed. Miroku shook his head.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. We are human, we have flaws, it is life. What we need to be worried about now is your arm."

"Shoulder actually, I think." Sango corrected.

"We'll check it out when we get back to the hut."

Miroku waited patiently for Sango to change back into her yukata, though she never managed to get her left arm through the sleeve. The monk told her it was better this way because Sango would have just had to take that part of her yukata off again for him to look at her. Miroku gently touched Sango's shoulder, being careful not to put too much pressure on it. With his free hand he pushed Sango's hair over her uninjured shoulder, out of the way. So soft. He couldn't help thinking, resisting the urge to burry his hands in Sango's dark locks.

He put his other hand on her shoulder now and began to push it back and forth. Sango grimaced at first, but after awhile Miroku could see the pain had subsided. He moved to press his fingers into the area around her shoulder blades.

Sango had felt very exposed from the moment she had walked into the room with her yukata half-off. It was true that she still had an under-robe on, so Miroku could see nothing, but the demon slayer felt like a thin layer of silk between her skin and Miroku's hands was not enough. But soon, as she had gotten used to his practiced touch, Sango had begun to forget that she was half-clothed and started to enjoy the sensations Miroku's touch was sending through her body.

"I think," Miroku said, drawing Sango out of her slight daze, "you dislocated it."

"What do we do, Houshi-sama?"

"I'll have to push it back into place." Miroku answered simply. "But I'm sure that will hurt much less if I continue working with your shoulder." Sango nodded and, in spite of herself closed her eyes and enjoyed Miroku 'working with' her shoulder.

Miroku as well was getting more comfortable behind her. He leaned closer to the young woman, taking in the scent of her hair. Sango had begun to lean backwards slightly and her hair came cascading towards Miroku. She seemed not to notice, but it was brushing against Miroku's neck and tickled every time Sango moved even the slightest inch. But he liked it and didn't push her hair back away.

"Sango," Miroku said after awhile.

"Yes?"

"I think I should try pushing your shoulder back now. It'll get worse the longer we leave it."

"You're right," She said after a long silence. She was disappointed, but knew he was just doing this to make her feel better. He had no idea how much she enjoyed him behind her, rubbing the pain out of her shoulder.

Miroku rose to his knees and moved to kneel by Sango's side.

"Ready?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be" Sango replied, bracing herself.

"One, two, three." Miroku pushed on Sango's shoulder and upper arm. She closed her eyes tightly as she felt something slide back into place with a searing pain.

She heard Miroku move back behind her.

"Does it hurt?" He asked his chest against her back.

"Not as much as I thought it would." Sango gasped, taking deep breaths. It wasn't just the pain that winded her, it was also how close Miroku had become. He squeezed her should gently and Sango felt the numbing, wonderful feeling of his touch coming back.

"I'll help it a little more but then we need to put your arm in a sling. Kaede probably has some bandages."

'A little more' wasn't nearly enough for either of them. Sango almost protested when Miroku got up to find Kaede, but she knew how odd it would seem if she asked for more. He doesn't like you that way Sango. She told herself. If he did it might be ok, but he doesn't so…no. But another voice in her head answered; Ah, but then why is he so worried about you? Why is it you he always gropes? Why does he always wear that odd little smiled whenever he sees you?

"Shut up," She whispered to herself, bringing her knees up to her chest.

Miroku returned shortly with white cloth bandages in his arms.

"Sango-chan?" he said quietly, peering at the demon slayer. Sango lifted her head up off her knees and looked at Miroku slowly.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, seeing the pained look on her face.

"No, I'm fine." Sango lowered her knees and allowed Miroku to put her arm in a sling. After he was done tying the final knot, Sango made to stand up, to get away from the man that was torturing her internally so. Miroku, however, grabbed her hand.

"Would you like me to help you put your arm inside your yukata?" He asked kindly. "It will get chilly tonight without sleeves on your arm." Sango shook her head and claimed her hand back.

"No, you've already done too much for me, Houshi-sama." Miroku heard Sango sniffle quietly as she turned away and his brow furrowed.

"Did I do something to upset you?"

"Y-yes… and no."

"I make you nervous, and for that I am sorry. I like you Sango, and I want you to be comfortable around me. I know some of my habits are hard to live with, but I wish you would call me Miroku. I mean, we are friends, and Houshi-sama is too formal. It would be like me calling you Youkai Slayer-san." The monk fell silent.

"You say you like me H— Mir-Miroku, but how do you like me? As a friend," Sango repeated the monk's earlier word and bad taste found its way into her mouth. But she made herself continue speaking. "As a fighting partner? Something… something more?" Miroku stood up and put a hand on Sango's uninjured shoulder He turned her to face him and grinned mischievously.

"That depends," he told her. "How would you like to be liked?"

Tears began to form at the corners of Sango's eyes.

"You shouldn't give a damn how I want you to feel about me!" She yelled suddenly. "Without me and my emotions in mind how do you like me?!" Miroku considered the crying girl that was nearly in his arms. He pulled her into his embrace and she stared up at him, not daring to believe.

"More… more than a friend, more than a fighting partner."

"Miroku," Sango's head connected with his chest and she cried.

"No need for tears Sango." He said, lifting her head up by placing his hand under her chin. "But I'll tell you something, though."

"Wh-what?" Sango's voice shook as Miroku wiped her tears away. He put his lips near her ear and whispered;

"I'll try to kiss you… if you'll let me."

Sango's hand was clenching a fistful of Miroku's robes. She squeezed this handful of fabric tightly and stared into Miroku's deep violet eyes. She licked her lips, which she could see he was watching intently, and replied;

"I've wanted you to kiss me for a long time." Miroku smiled.

"That's all I needed to hear." As he lowered his head, Miroku brought Sango's lips up to meet his, with the hand under her chin. Sango pressed back against Miroku's lips with such force, the monk stepped back slightly in surprise.

In doing so, Miroku managed to step on Hiraikotsu. The weapon tripped Miroku up and he fell, wrapping his arms protectively around Sango. When he opened his eyes, Miroku found Sango's honey-brown orbs looking back at him. The pair broke into laugher. Sango lifted herself off Miroku's chest and seated herself next to him. The monk leaned back and put his hands behind his head, sighing comfortably. He closed his eyes, but soon after doing so, felt Sango laying her head on his chest. Miroku sat up slowly, watching Sango as he did.

And suddenly, their lips had found each other's again. Only this time, Miroku had wrapped his arms around Sango's waist, and Sango, in turn, put her good arm around Miroku's neck. They were kissing each other deeper than before when…

"What the hell?!?"

"Inuyasha, sit!"

Miroku and Sango broke apart; Sango's face was bight red and Miroku's was a light shade of pink. Miroku managed to pull himself together first.

"What are you guys doing back today?" he asked as calmly as possible, trying to act as if he wasn't ticked off his moment with Sango was ruined.

"Mr. Grumpy here didn't want me to stay because if I had, my friends and I were gonna go see a movie with Hojo." Inuyasha mumbled something like 'I hate that limp noodle' in his 'sit' crater.

"Anyway, what happened here?" Kagome asked with a wide smile. "We were walking down from the well and Inuyasha noticed the screen door to our hut was open. He saw you guys together and was like 'Hey isn't that Miroku and Sango? Why are they standing so close together?' I told him to keep quiet and stay put, but then, I guess you guys fell because we couldn't see you anymore, and Inuyasha went tearing down the hill. I chased after him telling him again to stop because I had a feeling what was going on. And well… now we're here."

Miroku and Sango laughed and smiled at Kagome.

"It's a long story, what happened here, Kagome. But I promise to tell you all about it tonight." Sango said. Kagome smiled as Miroku took Sango's hand and led her out of the hut. Kagome glanced out of the doorway and saw them leaning against each other, watching the sunset.

AN: This is a story I found while going through some of my old folders. I cleaned it up a bit and I think it turned out to be a pretty cute one-shot. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did when I discovered it.

Disclaimers: I don't own Inuyasha or Blink-182's song 'Down'.