Title: Under the Surface

Author: landofthekwt

Genre: Angst

Word Count:486

Prompt 9: Discontent Inukaiden

Pairing: Miroku/Sango

Rating: G

Warning: Spoiler for Chapter 447-448

Summary: Miroku must hide his pain.

He had risked everything for her. It had been his only chance. If Inuyasha has just let him keep his kazaana open just a little longer he could have sucked up Naraku's heart. Kohaku would be safe. His shard would not have to be used to purify Naraku. All for Sango's happiness.

It was not his fate for things to work out. Inuyasha had closed the kazaana too early and Naraku had escaped. Both Inuyasha and Kikyou knew. They knew that he would have died if the hole in his hand had been left open a minute .longer.

But it did not matter. Not to him. Only Sango's happiness mattered to him. He had failed. Kikyou still needed to use Kohaku's shard to purify Naraku. So long as her brother's life was in danger she would not be happy.

Now he was a cripple. Kikyou had told him that it was just a matter of time before the shouki reached his heart. Every time he opened the kazaana he edged a step closer to death. Death did not bother him. He had been ready for it since the kazaana first appeared in his hand. What he feared was losing Sango, of being unable to fight with her, protect her and save Kohaku.

No one else must know. Kikyou had promised not to tell anyone. He would put on the brave face once more. The one that said he was carefree and irresponsible. The one that did not show Sango how much he loved her and would miss her when he died.

He almost laughed when he thought of that person that he pretended to be. The one that asked everything in skirts to bear his child. The one that rubbed the butt of his beloved so that she would hit him with Hiraikotsu.

There had been moments when the masked had slipped with Sango and she could actually feel what he felt about her, but then just as quickly something would happen to ruin the moment. The words said in Mount Haukerei had become so hazy that they had wondered if they had actually said those words. His promise to live with her had soured when he could not promise to stop flirting with other women.

Something always kept from being honest about his feelings with Sango. And now it was too late. It was just a matter of time before he died. She could never know. It would only hurt her if she did know The pain would have to be hidden. . The truth known only to himself and Kikyou.

And so he would continue to pretend that his kazaana was healed, that everything was fine and behave as if he did not have a care in the world. He had been hiding his pain and his feelings behind his mask all of his life. For Sango's sake he would persevere a little longer.