Well, here's chapter 4 people! Thank you so much for all your reviews! Miroku thanks you too, but he seems to have wandered off... must go find him... before he causes any trouble!
Disclaimer: I don't own Miroku or any other characters in this story... which is too bad! (I wish I owned Miroku... but I guess I can make do with the plushie...)
"I want to be with you..."
The words left Sango's mouth like a sweet melody. Miroku watched her as she glided forth, as it seemed to him. He took a step toward his love and put his arms out.
"How I've longed for you to say those words..." he told her back. She smiled and closed her eyes. Miroku took another step and she was gone.
How many times this had happened? Miroku had lost track while he slumbered. Sango would admit her love, though in different words every time, and Miroku's void would grow in size and suck her through it. Then the blood came. The sequence seemed to repeat itself as he slept on, for every time the blood would stop pouring out of his hand, Sango would walk out of the forest bordering the clearing he seemed to be stuck in.
"Sango, don't leave me again!" Miroku cried, a small tear streaming down his cheek. He felt it be swept away and vanish.
"I'm right here." Sango's voice seemed to come out of nowhere. "Wake up."
Wake up? It had been the dream again. Miroku immediately opened his eyes and sat upright, beads of sweat making their way down his forehead. He regretted doing so instantly as it made his stomach seize up with pain. He doubled over.
"Are you alright?" Sango asked, putting a cool cloth to his forehead. She laid him back down, has head resting on her Hiraikotsu, which was propped up against a tree.
"Thank you..." Miroku managed to reply. Sango smiled and Kirara came up and rubbed her face against Miroku's cheek. He smiled slightly and she mewed in reply.
"Do you want to tell me about the nightmare yet?" Sango asked him.
"Where are the others?" Miroku asked, changing the subject once again. Sango sighed, but figured it would be best to tell them.
"They went to the next village to get help for you. Kirara and I took you off the road so it would be safer." Sango replied. Miroku looked around and noticed that they were indeed in the middle of the forest again.
"How long have I been asleep?" he asked.
"Unconscious is more like it." Sango told him. "You passed out about an hour ago." Miroku let what she said sink in. He had just been asleep for an hour, yet the dream had plagued him countless time in the short period.
"We're pretty sure what happened." Sango said suddenly. Miroku's eyes grew shocked and he jerked his head to look at Sango.
"A demon was feasting off you in your sleep. That's why you were having those nightmares. That's why you got poisoned. We're not sure how, but it somehow stung you in your dream."
"So that's why it hurts." Miroku looked down at his right hand and saw the blood leaking through.
"It's pretty bad." Sango sighed. Miroku could figure that one out on his own due to the fact he was in so much pain.
"But there's one thing I'm not sure of." Miroku wondered suddenly.
"What?"
"Those kinds of demons feast once, then leave. I know because I once did an exorcism involving one. Yet I'm still having nightmares."
"I'm not sure either. But you should be happy you're alive. They usually kill."
Miroku nodded his head, still wondering about the whole thing. He had been attacked and poisoned in his dream. But that was later on. Before that he had been accused of slaughtering his loved ones with his own hands and had been shown the blood to prove it. Had that been part of the demons doings, or did he dream that up himself? And if it was the latter, why did he dream such a horrible thing?
Miroku's thoughts were interrupted. "Are you hungry or anything?" Sango asked politely.
"Not really." Miroku responded. Thinking of what had happened had made him lose what little appetite he had left, even if was only in his mind.
"Well, let me know if you need anything." Sango told him, rising to her feet. She moved to the edge of the small clearing before Miroku spoke up again.
"Sango?"
She turned. "Hmm?"
"Where are you going?" he asked her. His voice sounded strained and his face flushed.
"I was just going to get some water." she told him. She had heard the small stream a little ways from the area they were staying in when they had first arrived.
"Please don't leave..." Miroku reached his hand out. Now it was Sango's turn to flush.
"Why not?"
"I... I want you to stay with me..." his face relaxed after he had said it.
"Um... alright." she turned back. Miroku smiled. Why would he want her to stay? She wondered if it was merely to cop a few feels off her before the others returned. But then she remembered he had been to sick to attempt it before, so that was probably not the reason. Did he really want to be with her? Or was the poison going to his head and making him delusional?
Sango sat next to the monk and looked at him.
"Sango..."
"Yes?"
"It's getting hot..." he muttered. He was sweating, Sango could tell. But the air around them was pretty cool.
"Are you sure you don't want me to leave? I could get you some water or..."
"Please don't leave." Miroku closed his eyes and didn't say another word. He had fallen asleep again. Sango worried for him and hoped the others would return soon.
"Please hurry back..." she said to the sky. She rose to her feet and looked around. The sky had grown darker as night was nearing and clouds were forming in the sky. Sango hoped it didn't rain. She looked back down at the monk and placed a hand once again to his forehead.
"He's still burning up." she whispered. He had wanted her to stay, but he needed to be cooled down fast. And he had fallen asleep again. Surly he wouldn't notice if she had left for only a short while. Sango started to move away, but something tugged back on her robes.
"Miroku..." Sango halted.
"Don't leave me..." Sango noticed his eyes were still closed. Was he still asleep?
"Stay with me." Miroku said. He had a pained expression on his face when he said this. Sango sat back down.
Sango heard thunder in the distance as more clouds rolled in overhead.
"Oh crap." was the last thing she said before it started to drizzle out. In Miroku's condition, he couldn't afford to get drenched, as it would most likely make him even worse. This meant she had to move him, and he was certainly not going to help.
Sango looked down at the monk as small rain drops trickled down his face and splashed on his hair, dampening it. He would've looked sweet, laying there in the slight rain, if it had not been for his choppy breathing and pained expression. Sango had to get him sheltered, and fast.
"Kirara, go find a nearby cave of something and come back right away once you do!" Sango commanded her youkai cat. Kirara obeyed with a nod of her head and sped off into the bushes.
Now all Sango had to do was wait for Kirara to come back and keep Miroku from getting soaked. She pushed him up against the tree more, hoping the leaves would at least stop some of the water.
As itstarted raining harder, the tree proved to be pretty useless. The two of them were getting wetter by the second and Kirara still hadn't returned.
Sango stood up and grabbed her Hiraikotsu, which was leaning against a nearby boulder. Swinging it, she managed to wedge it into the tree a few feet above Miroku's head in hopes it would prove to be a better shield. It wasn't very far out, but it did help a bit.
"Sango?" Miroku said in his sleep just after Hiraikotsu had been placed above him. Sango looked over to him.
"I don't want to lose you Sango..." Sango blushed when she heard this. He must have been more sick than she thought. Or was he having the nightmare again?
"I'm right here. She told him.
"I'm so sorry..."
The rain poured harder and Kirara still had not returned. Miroku wasn't speaking anymore and the two of them were now soaked to the bone. With each passing second, Sango's worry ran deeper.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, a familiar form was seen bounding through the trees. It landed in front of Sango and growled as if to let out a small purr.
"You're back!" Sango rose from where she had been sitting with Miroku. He slumped over without her support. "Come over here now and help me." Kirara obeyed.
"That should do it..." Sango muttered to herself, settling herself on her youkai's back in a similar position from when she had first brought Miroku back here. "Okay, let's go!" Kirara took a leap and the three of them were off to dryer ground in a flash of fire.
After a few passing minutes of riding through the rain, fog and wind, Kirara stopped safely in front of a small cave. Sango wasted no time in leading her in and settling down. Once Miroku was safely on the firm ground, Kirara transformed into her smaller form.
"Thanks you." Sango told Kirara. She mewed in reply and pricked her ears forward.
Sango took a few minutes to survey the small cavern. It was dry at least, and that was good. The walls were sloped and the ceiling was only a few inches above Sango's head when she stood up fully. The floor was littered with small pebbles and what looked like remains of a few bones. Demons' bones probably. Sango hoped there were none still living in the cave.
A small grunt from Miroku made her realize exactly why she was here. She went over to him and sat down. She pushed his soaking hair off of his forehead and felt it. He was still burning up, Sango noticed, and she pulled her hand quickly away from the heat. She then felt his hand and found it to be cold. She had to get him warmed up, or the chances of him making it through the night would decrease rapidly.
Sango built a small fire in no time and had moved Miroku as close as possible in a matter of minutes. But the small flame didn't do much to dry him, much less warm him up. Sango knew she had to dry his robes, or at least get them off his body before his condition got worse.
Sango blushed at this. Removing his robes? He was unconscious and, she reminded herself, it was to help him. Still, the thought made her face burn and redden. She moved over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Then, still flustered, she moved down and untied the purple tie that held his outer robe in place.
After it was removed and rung out, Sango found the water had soaked through right down to his skin. But to her relief, it was mostly on his upper body. Sango felt she could get away with only removing them down to his waist. Still, if he was to wake up, Sango felt she would never live this down, no matter how much she insisted to herself it was for his own good.
After a few minutes later, Miroku's robes were tied around his waist and he was leaning on Sango's side, still asleep. Now what? He no longer had the wet robes on and that was good, but she had nothing dry to cover him with. Miroku gave a small cough.
"Kirara..." Sango motioned for her to come over to them. Kirara bounded over and transformed, wrapping her furry body around the monk. Sango sat back, thankful she had Kirara by her side.
"Don't leave again..."
Miroku was talking in his sleep again. Sango was sure he was having the dream again. She only wished she knew what it was about. Who was leaving.
"Stay away from me." Miroku commanded. His voice sounded strained, like he was in pain. Sango noticed, though, his face didn't show any signs of it. Was he hurting in his dream?
After this, things seemed to move faster. Miroku's hand reached out and tugged Sango down on top of him. He put his arms around her in a hug, pressing the side of his face to her's. Sango felt it damp and saw that he had been crying, ever so slightly.
"Miroku, what are you..." Sango asked, blushing.
"I don't want you hurt..." he said into her hair, inhaling deeply. Sango looked surprised.
"You never hurt me." she told him. He took no notice as he still seemed to be asleep.
"I don't want to... don't want to murder..." he said again. Sango wondered again exactly what he had been dreaming. Then he said something that made Sango's heart skip a beat and make he wonder if he was truly just asleep or really sick.
"I love you."
Woot, another chapter done! I'm so proud of myself, seeing as I usually never finsh anything I start! (You know how many unfinshed stories I have on my computer!)
Miroku: You better finish it, I wanna see how it ends!
Me: Alright, alright!
I'll post chapter 5 as soon as possible! Thank you to all those who've read and reviewed! It means alot to me!