AN: Well, I'm pretty much flying by the seat of my pants with this fic. Have not really planned anything out, but I've also never seen an M/S like this, so it kinda looks like I'm being original for a change. Isn't that nice? Miroku's acting rather ooc, being all cuddly and stuff (without groping). So sit back and enjoy, it's short, but I hope to get more written soon.
*****
Future Lovin'
A light breeze played with Sango's hair as the demon exterminator leaned against the crumbling stone of the well that led to Kagome's world. She wished she could be there. In the land which Kagome had told her so many things about. It sounded wonderful, perfect, much better than here... Although at the moment, anywhere was much better than here.
It was her fault. Because of her, Miroku and Kagome were injured, and Inu-yasha was, in a word, pissed. All because she had hesitated. Damn it! In battle, one never paused! One fraction of a second could mean life or death for yourself, your comrades, your enemy. They were lucky this time. Only injuries and bruised pride had resulted from her failure, but that was just it. She was a failure. Next time, the ending could be much worse.
Cursing, Sango punched the stone next to her leg. How could she go back and face them? Certainly not now, so soon after the fight. She would have to wait. Maybe she could go on her own for awhile, a month or two, and then come back to the village and wait for them. Maybe they could accept her then, maybe she could accept herself.
An arm suddenly snaked around her waist, and Sango jumped to the side, away from her assailant. She recognized Miroku and slowly retunred to her position on the well wall. She stayed silent, not sure what to say to the monk who must be furious with her.
"Sango, what's wrong?"
The concern in his voice surprised her. Why wasn't he railing at her for failing? "I-I..." Sango hopped to her feet and bowed. "I'm sorry, Houshi-sama. You were hurt becasue of me, and I am truly sorry." Just as quickly as she had stood, she sat with head lowered.
Miroku blinked. She was taking the last battle very hard. Gingerly, mindful of both his broken arm and the fury that sprang up from her whenever he touched her, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, making sure that his hand remained in a "safe" location.
Sango stiffened, but did not raise her head or say anything.
Miroku pulled her towards him until her head was leaning against his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. It was my fault that I didn't move fast enough and that I landed stupidly. You had nothing to do with it."
Sango lifted her head. "But-"
Miroku placed a finger to her lips. "Don't worry about it. Inu-yasha was just upset becasue Kagome-sama was hurt." Seeing she was about to blame herself again, he hurried on, "And that wasn't your fault either. You need to start worrying about yourself more and not the rest of us. Where would we be if you got hurt?"
Sango brushed off his arm and stood, beginning to pace. "In a lot better position than you are now!"
Miroku grinned. "Yeah, I'd make sure I was the one bandaging you up!" He winked.
Sango did not respond to his perverted comment. Instead, she paced back and forth across the clearing a few more times, and then stopped in front of Miroku. "I'm leaving," she announced, eyes darting up, meeting his, and dropping again.
The leaves rustling in the wind was the only sound.
Finally, Miroku inhaled sharply and asked, "What?"
Sango repeated her decision, more forcefully, trying to convince herself that this was the right thing to do.
Miroku reached out to her and grabbed her hands. "Why?" His voice was low, almost a whisper.
Sango tried to pull away, but Miroku held her tightly. "Because."
"Not a very good reason." He pulled her closer until he could wrap his arms around her.
Sango buried her face in his clothes, her reply muffled, "I know."
Miroku stroked her hair. "Then don't."
"I-"
A voice cried from the forest, "Miroku-dono!" a second before the tanuki entered the clearing. So startled by Hachi's sudden appearance, Miroku stepped backwards, taking Sango with him, and stumbled against the well. The stones beneath him crumbled under the combined weight, and they fell into the darkness.
Hachi stared at the spot where they had been for a moment before rushing forward. He reached the side of the well and called, "Are you all-" His words died on his lips. The well was empty. He twisted his shirt between his hands. "Oh dear."
*****
Future Lovin'
A light breeze played with Sango's hair as the demon exterminator leaned against the crumbling stone of the well that led to Kagome's world. She wished she could be there. In the land which Kagome had told her so many things about. It sounded wonderful, perfect, much better than here... Although at the moment, anywhere was much better than here.
It was her fault. Because of her, Miroku and Kagome were injured, and Inu-yasha was, in a word, pissed. All because she had hesitated. Damn it! In battle, one never paused! One fraction of a second could mean life or death for yourself, your comrades, your enemy. They were lucky this time. Only injuries and bruised pride had resulted from her failure, but that was just it. She was a failure. Next time, the ending could be much worse.
Cursing, Sango punched the stone next to her leg. How could she go back and face them? Certainly not now, so soon after the fight. She would have to wait. Maybe she could go on her own for awhile, a month or two, and then come back to the village and wait for them. Maybe they could accept her then, maybe she could accept herself.
An arm suddenly snaked around her waist, and Sango jumped to the side, away from her assailant. She recognized Miroku and slowly retunred to her position on the well wall. She stayed silent, not sure what to say to the monk who must be furious with her.
"Sango, what's wrong?"
The concern in his voice surprised her. Why wasn't he railing at her for failing? "I-I..." Sango hopped to her feet and bowed. "I'm sorry, Houshi-sama. You were hurt becasue of me, and I am truly sorry." Just as quickly as she had stood, she sat with head lowered.
Miroku blinked. She was taking the last battle very hard. Gingerly, mindful of both his broken arm and the fury that sprang up from her whenever he touched her, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, making sure that his hand remained in a "safe" location.
Sango stiffened, but did not raise her head or say anything.
Miroku pulled her towards him until her head was leaning against his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. It was my fault that I didn't move fast enough and that I landed stupidly. You had nothing to do with it."
Sango lifted her head. "But-"
Miroku placed a finger to her lips. "Don't worry about it. Inu-yasha was just upset becasue Kagome-sama was hurt." Seeing she was about to blame herself again, he hurried on, "And that wasn't your fault either. You need to start worrying about yourself more and not the rest of us. Where would we be if you got hurt?"
Sango brushed off his arm and stood, beginning to pace. "In a lot better position than you are now!"
Miroku grinned. "Yeah, I'd make sure I was the one bandaging you up!" He winked.
Sango did not respond to his perverted comment. Instead, she paced back and forth across the clearing a few more times, and then stopped in front of Miroku. "I'm leaving," she announced, eyes darting up, meeting his, and dropping again.
The leaves rustling in the wind was the only sound.
Finally, Miroku inhaled sharply and asked, "What?"
Sango repeated her decision, more forcefully, trying to convince herself that this was the right thing to do.
Miroku reached out to her and grabbed her hands. "Why?" His voice was low, almost a whisper.
Sango tried to pull away, but Miroku held her tightly. "Because."
"Not a very good reason." He pulled her closer until he could wrap his arms around her.
Sango buried her face in his clothes, her reply muffled, "I know."
Miroku stroked her hair. "Then don't."
"I-"
A voice cried from the forest, "Miroku-dono!" a second before the tanuki entered the clearing. So startled by Hachi's sudden appearance, Miroku stepped backwards, taking Sango with him, and stumbled against the well. The stones beneath him crumbled under the combined weight, and they fell into the darkness.
Hachi stared at the spot where they had been for a moment before rushing forward. He reached the side of the well and called, "Are you all-" His words died on his lips. The well was empty. He twisted his shirt between his hands. "Oh dear."
