By My Side

Disclaimer: Nope.

Author's Notes: WARNING: SPOILERS!

This was inspired by volume 30... when Miroku told Sango about his feelings... I thought that the fluff scene was just too short, and decided to add more to it. For those who haven't read volume 30, the story starts after Sango says "Miroku... I'm serious! I need to know..." Anything before that is the translated manga. (Sort of... I either added or switched around a few words, but what they're saying is still the general idea of the translation...)

*

"Sango... since this is what I feel... I want you to listen to the end..."

Her eyes instantly shot up at him as her cheeks began to slowly redden. At that moment, she could see the sincerity and burden in his eyes—some thing she rarely ever saw in him when he was around others. Others—others being especially girls who were old enough for him to hit on.

"To me... you are a very special girl."

The startled expression on her face, for some reason, made him feel at ease. He didn't know why it made him feel that way... it just did. Perhaps it wasn't even her face expression at all... perhaps it was just her.

"Eh..." Her heart skipped a beat.

Miroku sighed, looking off into the distance. Sango turned her back to him, and brought her hands up to her cheeks, feeling them flushing even harder.

"I didn't think that I would ever treasure... and trust a girl so much. And that is why... I can't love you... as a girl."

From the bushes, Kagome's jaw dropped as Inuyasha looked on motionlessly. "WHAT?! What is he thinking?!" Kagome whispered harshly, frowning in anger.

Shippou stared on. "He only likes her as a friend...?"

"You're a companion... who fights along on my side with... that's how I feel..."

"I-... I know that. You didn't need to tell me that..." she said softly as tears formed in her eyes. She began to shake lightly, trying to fight off the tears and feelings that engulfed her. "It's not like I... like I thought that you loved me or something..."

Miroku laid his eyes directly upon her. "Sango."

She stood up, looking away from him as she stared off into the range. "That's enough of this conversation, right... I'm going."

He tore his eyes away from her, and stared at his cursed right hand. "I'm not done... this conversation isn't over yet. If, when the battle with Naraku is over... the curse of my Air Rip is broken, and I am alive..."

Everything then seemed to stand still.

"...At that time... would you... live with me and bear my child?"

Sango opened her eyes wide, and a tear ran down her cheek.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder, slightly surprised, and Kagome clapped her hands quietly in delight.

"He... he did it! He proposed to her!"

Sango sat back down on the grass, with her back still faced to Miroku.

"Sango..." he whispered.

She brought her hands over to her face in somewhat embarrassment. "I... I will..." She turned to him happily, and he clasped his hands over hers.

"You'll... you'll bear them?! 10... or even 20?"

"Yes!" She continued to look up at him, earnest and happy. "So then... you... you won't cheat on me anymore, right?!"

Everything froze comically right then as Sango glared angrily at him.

"Eh?"

"You... won't... RIGHT???"

Miroku looked away, and Sango continued to glare at him.

"Miroku... I'm serious! I need to know..."

He did not look at her, and she pulled away from him.

"Miroku... you... you should really think things over before you go and say anything to anyone... especially something like this. When it comes to this... it's a serious matter..."

His eyes inverted back to her. "Sango..."

She turned and walked away. "I'm going."

He frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Just taking a walk."

*

"How could he do that?!" Kagome nearly yelled as she looked over to Inuyasha, who was looking bored as ever. "And how can you be so... dull about this?"

"Feh," he spat as he crossed his arms. "If she was really serious about bearing his children... then she had to see that coming. That perverted priest couldn't even keep his hands off any women when she was there with him. What would you expect?"

"That's not true..." she spoke softly, being true and serious this time. "Miroku may be perverted... but I know that he really loves Sango. She's the only one who he didn't ask to bear his child the first time he met her... and that really means something. And it's obvious that Sango feels the same..."

"That pervert just has to make it more complicated, huh?"

"It's not his fault... it happens. Love isn't always so easy, you know. It involves so many conflicts and feelings that it's hard to sort out most of the time. But... if you really love someone, you'd know almost instantly if they were the right one for you... if they were the one person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, have children with, and grow old with..."

Inuyasha grew silent as she went on.

"It's every girl's dream to fall in love, get married, and have children. Living happily ever after like that... what more could one wish for? After I graduate from school and get a job... I want a family of my own. Though... that most likely won't happen."

He looked at her. "Why not?"

"Because..." she began, smiling sadly up at the dark sky. "Because the one I love... has someone else."

Guilt smacked him in the face when she said that, and his gaze dropped to the ground. "...Why don't you just move on then...?"

"If only it were that easy," she whispered, biting her bottom lip. "Maybe... maybe someday I will. I'll try... and when I do, I'll be living a dream... of having a family that I've always wanted." But I'll never be able to live that dream...

"...I hope you'll be able to live it..." he spoke slowly.

She smiled at him. "Thanks... I hope you do too."

"Hn."

*

"Sango?"

She turned around at the sound of her name, and bit the corner of her bottom lip. "What is it?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

She looked to the side, away from him. "I'm listening."

"Are you mad?"

She inhaled deeply. "No."

He didn't believe her. "Okay," he said, taking a few steps closer to her. "Tell me you forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive," she argued, walking past him. "I'm not mad at you. Lets just... forget about what happened earlier. I think it'd be a lot easier on the both of us."

"Sango..."

"Listen, if you still feel the same way after we defeat Naraku, then we can talk about it. If not... then... oh well, I guess. Defeating Naraku isn't going to be an easy task... so we shouldn't hope for something beyond that point."

"If and when we defeat him... and we will, I swear to you, as a man, that I only want you... to bear my children."

She looked at him. "Miroku..."

"But as you said... we shouldn't hope for something beyond the point of Naraku. But until then... would you... stay by my side? Fight with me... and let me care for you?"

A small smile crept across her lips. "Yes."

*

Kagome smiled as she saw the two hug, and sat back. She soon as she moved, she felt someone behind her, and sighed in relief when she saw that it was Inuyasha.

"Feh."

She shook her head. "It's sweet, Inuyasha. Maybe you don't understand that now... but just wait until..." she trailed off for a moment, but dared on herself to continue. "If you were with Kikyou, you'd understand it..."

A low growl emerged from his throat, and she stared at him.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to say anything to make you feel... uncomfortable."

"I... I don't care."

"...Okay."

Silence followed after that, and he frowned.

"Kagome...?"

"Hm?"

"You'll... you'll always be by my side... right?"

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering what possessed him to ask that. "Of course..." she answered, bringing her knees up to her chin. "We're only missing a few more shards, and I'll be with you all the way until it's completed. Then you're free... you can become full demon... or be with Kikyou. Whatever you do, I'll be happy for you."

His face twisted into a grimace. "That... that's not what I meant."

"...Then what do you mean?"

"Will you always be by my side?"

"As great as that sounds," she said, giving him a sad smile. "That's really up to you."

"You... you would stay if I asked you to?"

"...Yeah..."

He felt guilty. She had done everything to try to keep and make him happy. She stayed with him, stood by his side, brought back ramen... she did everything for him, despite Kikyou. And what had he done for her in return? Protecting was required... he needed her for the shards. But truly... what had he ever done for her? He insulted her... and threw her aside whenever Kikyou was involved. Why would she do this... for him...?

"Why?"

"Because... I... oh, crap. I told Shippou that—"

"Kagome."

She stopped. "W-what?"

"Thanks."

She stared at him, confused. "For what?"

"Everything."

"Eh...?"

Without saying another word, he left.

*

"I'm very happy for you, Sango."

"Thanks, Kagome... are you alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"But Inuyasha—"

"It's fine, really! There's always Kouga, right?" she joked.

Sango, unfortunately, didn't get it. "Yeah, but—"

"Yeah, so everything's fine. Don't worry about it."

Outside, Miroku gave Inuyasha a sympathy pat on the back. "You're a bit too late."

"Shut up," he growled. "Stupid priest. What would you know?"

"At least I'm smart enough to realize and admit my true feelings."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Inuyasha barked. "I don't love her!"

"If you say so... but don't get all jealous when you see Kouga and Kagome together... just like she won't when you and Kikyou are together."

"Look here, pervert, if you—"

"Lalalalala..." Covering his ears, Miroku smiled and walked off.

Kagome... stop messing with me... my head... my heart...

*

This took me almost about 20 minutes to write. Sorry for any ooc-ness. ^_^* I had a dentist appointment yesterday... and I wrote this up because I was bored out of my mind while I was there, waiting... but anyway, reviews would be appreciated!