He smiled down at her sleeping face. Her smooth cheek curved, soft, and pale, partially covered by her glossy strands of stray hair.
An idea popped into his head and he grinned.
"Sango," he whispered, gently nudging her. She hardly stirred.
He tried again, amplifying both actions slightly.
"Sango," this time his silky lips coming into contact with the outer shell of her ear.
Her eyes fluttered open and she squinted due to the sun's white rays penetrating the absent spaces in the dusty blinds.
"I love you," he murmured closing his eyes and delicately kissing her temple.
She stretched and shifted her position to sitting, with her legs hanging over the edge of the bed.
He beamed as he remembered their shared night, absent-mindedly running his fingers up and down the silky flesh of her naked back.
She chuckled quietly and flipped her dark tresses over one shoulder to look at him.
"You woke me up just to tell me that?" her voice slightly raspy from their night's activities, smirking pleasantly at him.
He nodded and rose from his propped elbow and gently trailed kisses up her spine.
She shivered and clutched an extra blanket around her as she rose from the bed.
Miroku pouted but knew that she had to leave soon. She smiled at him sadly. They both knew it was wrong, what they had together, but neither of them could-or were willing to-give it up.
He also stood, realizing too quickly that he had to cover himself up. He blushed and ripped the sheets from the bed. Sango giggled at him as he furiously secured them in place around his hips with frantic breathing.
"I-I guess I'll be seeing you…" she hesitated. In all honesty, she had no idea when they would meet again.
"Soon," he forced a smile and pulled her to him. She leaned her forehead in the crook of his neck.
"Soon," she repeated in a very soft whisper, a disobedient tear rolling down her cheek.
Sango gasped and sat up from her spot on the couch. Rubbing her eyes she squinted at the bright lights that assaulted her.
"Good morning m'dear," echoed Kuranosuke's cheerful voice from the kitchen. "You fell asleep on the couch again."
Sango sighed and shook her head.
"Oh. Sorry," she yawned and stretched.
It was no wonder she fell asleep on the couch again. She certainly didn't want to sleep in the same bed-or even the same room- as Kuranosuke.
It wasn't that he was rude or cruel, she just didn't love him. To be honest he annoyed her. Despite all of this, they were married.
'You must be married before you're 21 Sango, or you'll never see your brother again.' Those words forced her to be married.
And Kuranosuke had loved her since they were small.
'When we're older Sango, you and I should get married.' A childhood promise she'd hoped she wouldn't have to keep.
"That's quite alright," he dried his hands on a red kitchen towel and set himself next to her grasping her hands as he sat. "I have something to tell you."
"What is it?" she asked predictably not necessarily caring, but softening her eyes, nonetheless.
"I'm going on another business trip," he spoke softly.
She bit back an impolite sigh and smiled sadly.
"That's alright, how long will you be leaving me alone this time?"
She tried to use humor to lighten the moment, it was getting unbearably uncomfortable.
He let out a tense laugh and rubbed his thumb over her hand.
"About two weeks," his thumb paused awaiting a response.
"When do you leave?" her head tilted and she tugged her hands away to scratch her scalp.
His head turned away from her to the small clock mounted on the wall opposite them. He hoped she didn't see the guilt in his eyes for not telling her sooner.
"About three," he bit his lip, praying she'd stop with the questions. "Perhaps we can go out to lunch before then, hmm?"
"Oh, yeah, that sounds good," she murmured quietly.
Perhaps she wasn't the greatest of liars, but at least this was another chance to see Miroku.
That seemed to satisfy him however, and he placed a reluctant kiss to her forehead.
They had a quiet lunch at her favorite little diner and they returned home; neither really dying to strike up a conversation.
When they returned, he stepped silently to pack his suitcases into the car.
She covered her eyes with her hands and heaved out a prolonged sigh.
After a half hour of staring into her black coffee, it was time to say goodbye to Kuranosuke.
Finally!
"I'll see you in two weeks," he said placing a chaste, cold kiss to her unwavering lips.
She gave a tight smile and folded her arms over her chest.
"Two weeks," she repeated in a gentle voice.
As he drove away in his car he gave her a slight wave and sped off.
She turned back into the house she immediately reached for the phone and anxiously dialed Miroku's number.