Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
Painted
IX. Affinity
March 1947
Sango sat on the edge of the small fountain in the town square, trailing her fingers through the water and pushing the water lilies across the surface idly, waiting for Miroku and Kohaku to get back from wherever they had gone, claiming 'unavoidable tasks.'
For now, she enjoyed the feeling of being her own person. She was able to sit in this very square, on the fountain, because she wanted to, not because she had to. She could smile, she could laugh, and it didn't matter who saw her. This small happiness shone like a beacon through the storm clouds of her life, because she now had a future.
While waiting, she heard quick steps, as if made by someone with very short legs and she curiously looked up, surprised to see Akio running towards her.
"Hi!" he exclaimed, trying to catch his breath. "You're here again!"
"Hello there," she said with a light laugh, lifting him onto the ledge to sit next to her. "I never did get to tell you my name, did I? You can call me Sango."
"I brought you another flower, Sango-hime," he said shyly, offering a sprig of fresh Azalea. She placed it behind her ear again, and patted the dark mop of hair on his head affectionately.
"Just Sango is fine," she laughed. She looked up with a smile to see Miroku striding towards her in his Western clothes.
"And what are we so happy about Sango dear?" he asked as he came closer.
"Akio-chan," she said, nudging him. "I'd like you to meet Miroku. He's my...male friend."
Miroku raised an eyebrow, an odd expression on his face. "Male friend?" he echoed.
"Hello," the little boy said, shaking Miroku's large hand rather quickly. His eyes darted between them calculatingly. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, why not?" Miroku replied, a tad bewildered.
"Okay, come closer," he insisted, cupping his small hands around his mouth and Miroku's ear so that Sango couldn't see nor hear what he was saying, and instead she watched the whole scene with a glint of amusement evident in her eyes.
Miroku's eyes widened as he stood, and he winked at the small boy.
"Hold on for a minute, Sango," he addressed her, before walking away to her right. She looked to Akio, sitting on the ledge with a smile, kicking his dangling legs, not yet long enough to touch the ground.
Miroku was smiling broadly as he spoke to the attractive young woman standing on the edge of the street, and she looked extremely happy as she picked a selection of fresh flowers from her basket, wrapping them neatly with a ribbon.
Winking at the boy, he handed the bouquet to a blushing Sango, who held the bunch delicately in her arms.
"Well," she said, looking around at them. "I'm just surrounded by flirts aren't I?"
"Yup," the child beamed. "But Miroku-san was looking at Onee-chan's bottom."
"He was, was he?" Sango said with a penetrating stare.
"But that's okay, because he bought you flowers," the small boy added quickly. He looked up to where his sister was waving him over.
"I have to go now," he said abruptly, hugging Sango around the middle before jumping down and scampering off to cling to his sister's legs.
"Miroku-sama," she said warningly as he filled the seat next to her. "I don't want you influencing children."
"What do you mean 'influencing'?" he asked innocently. "It was his suggestion!"
She tried to look at him sternly, but the expression on his face was too much and her lips broke into a smile.
"I couldn't help but notice that you smell completely normal today," Sango complimented with a grin.
Miroku couldn't help but preen himself. "I can't help being a magnificent male specimen," he said, eliciting an eye-roll from her.
"And since I'm supposedly your 'male friend'," he added. "You can drop the honorific now. You're not with me because you have to be, right?"
"Maybe," Sango admonished, shaking her head slightly. "Anyway, where did you send Kohaku off this morning?"
"Well," Miroku said, leaning back onto his hands. "I sent him to meet a few people for me. Run some errands, the like."
"Don't tell me you sent him off to gut some fish!" she exclaimed.
"As tempting as spending the day gutting fish sounds," Miroku thought out loud, "I'd rather spend my time with you. And so would he."
He leaned over to kiss her on the apple of her cheek.
"Because despite what you think, cutting open fish and scooping out their internal organs isn't that much fun."
She had scrunched her nose at him, an action he oddly thought was extremely appealing, when his attention was drawn to something else.
"Actually, here he comes now...and he's brought some visitors with him."
Sango looked up to see a slightly shorter girl running towards her, dark hair flowing past her shoulders. She was shouting her name, and narrowly missing civilians as she dashed ahead.
"Kagome-chan?" she asked in surprise. She stood up, carefully placing the flowers on the ledge, and moved to meet her friend in a fierce hug.
"Sango-chan," Kagome said into her hair. "Sango-chan, you're okay. I'm so glad you're okay."
They rocked back and forth as they fought to see who could hug the other harder. When they had both run out of force (and air) they clasped their hands loosely between them, simply beaming.
"Sango-chan, I'd like you to meet someone," Kagome said excitedly. The other girl looked over her shoulder to where a bored looking man stood beside Kohaku blowing his dark hair away from his eyes.
"I said, I'd like you to meet someone," she repeated, a little louder this time.
Kohaku prodded the man with his elbow, and he grunted and stepped forward.
"This is Inuyasha," she sighed. "He helped out."
"Oh, I know," Sango said. "Miroku told me about everything." She turned to Inuyasha. "Thank you for all your help," she said with a bow. "And for taking good care of Kagome-chan."
"Umm...sure, whatever," he said awkwardly, tapping the toe of his shoe into the ground. "Your welcome...I guess?"
"Wow, what pretty flowers!" Kagome said, noticing them sitting on the ledge. "Did Miroku-kun get them for you?"
Sango nodded, blushing.
Kagome scooped them up, inhaling their fragrant scent. "They're so pretty!" she complimented, unaware of the glare that Inuyasha was shooting at Miroku from behind their backs.
"So," Miroku spoke up, standing and scratching the back of his head. "Shall we go?"
"Hmm? Where are we going?" Sango asked, confused.
"Oh, you'll see," Kagome said mischievously, taking her by the arm and leading her away, the rest of the group following. "There's a lot you've missed."
--
"So, this is where you live Kagome-chan?"
Her village wasn't as primitive as Sango's, but it was tranquil and peaceful. A few houses were scattered amongst the area, inhabitants ranging from elderly couples to newlyweds with young children.
"Yes, I live here with my mother, my brother, and Inuyasha. Father stays in the city sometimes to work. What do you think?"
"I think it's a beautiful place to live," Sango assured her, her voice a touch wistful.
"But that's not all," Miroku interrupted. "Because you're going to live here too."
"What do you mean," Sango said with narrowed eyes, though there was a hint of a smile on her face.
"Okay fine," he reiterated. "I mean, we're going to live here."
"We meaning who?"
"Sango dear, you ask too many questions," he smiled, embracing her.
"We meaning, me, you, and Kohaku."
"You're joking," she coughed, fighting the grin that was threatening to stretch across her whole face.
"Nope," he said shortly, kissing her forehead. "Not at all."
"But how?" she asked, wanting to make sure he had worked everything out.
"I knew you were going to ask me about every single detail," he chided. "So I worked everything out. Kohaku helped me. He's a pretty smart boy you know."
"I'll be the judge of that," Sango declared, pulling on the front of Miroku's shirt. "So what's this big plan?"
"I've saved a little here and there," he said casually, while Kohaku started to cough, covering up an escaped chuckle. "Enough to make a down payment."
"Oh is that so?" Sango began. "And how will we continue to make payments?"
"Whatever way I can," Miroku said with a smile. "One day, I'll be the damn mastermind behind the whole operation of cleaning and gutting of fish. Plus, with the economy picking up, and the constitution coming into effect soon, there will be some opportunity out there. "
"The constitution. I almost forgot," Sango remembered, her smile fading a little. "Miroku, you can go back to the way things were, back to your temple."
"The way things were...that wasn't what I wanted. I think I understand what made dad change his mind," he said seriously.
"Do you mean that?" she asked, trying to conceal the hopefulness in her voice.
"Yes. I'll be finding time to help in the reconstruction of some temples...but that's it, I'm all yours now."
He leaned his forehead against hers.
"And me? Shall I find work too?"
"No wife of mine will be working full-time," he retorted. "And besides," he added in a lower voice. "You'll be pregnant anyhow."
"Okay, I think it's time I should show Kohaku the ... umm...view!" Kagome said loudly. "Come on, that means you too Inuyasha."
"What are you talking about?" He gave her a funny look.
"The view," she repeated with a tight smile.
"But the view is great right here!" Kohaku insisted, grinning.
"Now, now," Kagome scolded good-naturedly. "Trust me, it's a beautiful view. But you have to be over there to get the full effect."
With that, she herded them off.
--
The two remained alone under the sprawling shade of a willow tree. The breeze shifted the strings of foliage creating a calming rustle that surrounded them.
But that wasn't what Sango was concerned about right now.
"Wife?" she whispered, eyes wide.
"My wife."
"Me?"
He laughed.
"Of course you."
She threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him, standing on her tiptoes. Reaching up, she pulled him down to her, raining kisses all over his face, and finally, on his lips.
"Not yet though, Miroku. I think...I need time to let everything sink in," Sango said quietly, squeezing his upper arms gently. "But know that I want to be with you."
"I know, and I understand. We may be young, but we've gone through more in a few years than others have in a lifetime. We both need time," he said, tangling her hair between his fingers.
"I was so scared, because I thought I'd never find you again," she whispered against him. "I would have given up. I lost so much, and I knew...that maybe I'd lose you too."
"Sango," he said softly, pressing his cheek to the side of her head. "You've been through so much. Too much, in fact. You deserve more than anything I could give you. Even if we never met again, I'd still keep looking for you. I'd live off my memories. I'd die a happy man knowing you were free."
"You don't give yourself enough credit, Miroku," she said, her eyes now glazed with a layer of tears.
He lowered his head her lips and kissed her again, slow and sweet, noting the single tear streak that adorned her cheek.
She couldn't have looked more beautiful as she did right now, her beauty as natural as the Azalea mounted in her hair, the emotions in her features a faithful rendition of her life, free of any naiveté that had once resided there.
Most importantly, she was free from the artificiality and inhibitions that were her shell, represented by the paint that shielded her face to him for years.
"You were everything I could only hope for. But you're here. You're real."
She paused just to stare at him. She may not be as innocent in body as she was in soul, but she wished she was. For him.
And this," she breathed, holding his hand to her heart. "This is love."
A quiet breath.
"And it feels so...pure."
--
It was amazing how someone could give her everything, yet give her nothing.
It was all in the way he had been there for her, the little things he did, like smile, laugh, stroke the back of her hand in soft circles. It was everything to her, but physically nothing.
Would she go through it all again? Yes, if she had the chance to be with him. To experience this.
She had been dropped to the lowest points in her life, worse than she had thought it ever could get, and now she only hoped that things had nowhere to go but up.
As he held her for another silent moment, ignorant of everything around them but each other, she could only think about the life she was leaving behind, and the one that began today.
It was like being reborn.
Perhaps it was true then, what they say about the greatest moments in life being the ones that are invisible. Or that life was not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away.
Because at that moment, it felt like they had all the time in the world to live.
Painted: Affinity - July 31st 2004
SangoLancer200 - You're lucky! I just got the review like...a minute before posting, so you get a response. Filipino? Me too! Hmm...don't even remind me about corny Filipino humour...I've been to like, a million debuts and Golden Weddings I think I'll go crazy. I won't forget that you exist. Don't worry. =)
Fireblade K'Chona - It is now proven no one reads author notes! It means a want, loss, or lack of bodily strength. It's almost done. I have the epilogue already waiting.
Xichiathik - Well...as for keeping it on the line...it's almost done. Well, technically it is done because I wrote out the epilogue already. Oh well. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Raia Heartsblood - Heh...I wrote so much more that I finished it. This is a contest entry so it has to be done by a certain date. I was just lucky to get an extension.
Katrina5 - Alas, it is nearly over. Well, for you it's actually over since you read the final ending already. But thanks for all your help and catching all my late-night induced mistakes. Just because I write at best during those times, doesn't mean I write stuff that makes sense. Thank you!
pNay iN a b0x - Hehe. You're funny. Whenever we cook fish, we have to open all the doors and windows, or else cook it outside or in the garage. Then everyone smells after.
Soli-chan - Thank you for reviewing like, every chapter as you read. Whenever I do that, I just get frustrated and skip ahead. So thank you for all your comments and stuff. Right now you're on vacation, so...I hope you're having a good one.
Aamalie - About the fluff...I'm working on it...for many, many hours. Everytime I open the non-blank document I run away and hide in a closet. You're on vacation too. So I'll just get back to work on that fluff...
And finally, fear my corny lines!