Title: Promise
Author:
Starzki
Genre:
Flirting?
Rating:
K+
Word Count:
446
Summary:
Sango makes sure that Miroku knows what will bring her happiness.

-x-

Promise

By Starzki

-x-

The rain picked up again another mile away from Kuranosuke Takeda's palace. Sango paused and waited for Miroku to catch up so that they could once again share Kagome's pink umbrella.

His cheek was still bright red from Sango's earlier slap and he wore an appropriately contrite and grateful expression as he joined her under the umbrella.

They walked in silence, only half listening to Kagome's chatter, Shippou's teasing, and Inuyasha's grumbling.

Finally, Sango spoke up. "I fear you do not know me at all, Houshi-sama."

Even with his eyes closed, Sango could tell they had darkened in annoyance. "I apologize for my wandering hand. I swear I'm doubly cursed…"

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh?"

"Last night, before the spirit demon attacked, as we passed outside, you said that you wished me happiness."

"I do indeed, Sango. I hope for nothing more for you in your life than happiness."

"But you meant happiness with Takeda."

"If that's what you wanted…"

"That's what I meant when I said that I feared you did not know me at all, Houshi-sama."

"You do not think you could be happy with Takeda?"

"In a cage? As a pet? Wings clipped?"

"He is a good man from a rich family."

"Even a gilded cage is a cage."

"He could give you a family. I do know you well enough to know how important that will be for you."

"Another man could give me a family." She blushed, checked Miroku's expression before she amended, "Other men out there could do that and not trap me. Every child Takeda would give me would be like another tether around my foot. I could not breathe in there."

"So you desire your freedom."

"Yes, Houshi-sama. Freedom to travel, to hunt, to be myself."

"Freedom to fly."

"Precisely."

Miroku considered this quietly for many long moments.

"Sango, I think I'm beginning to realize that you and I have a lot in common."

Sango sighed, annoyed. "Freedom doesn't also mean infidelity. A marriage to an unfaithful man would be just a different sort of cage."

Miroku scowled. "That's not what I meant. I meant the freedom to be the best kind of person you can be. For you, I see that would mean many things: love, family, tradition, slaying, and a future that you can dictate for yourself. These are all things you deserve."

"Thank you, Houshi-sama. So please never wish me happiness or marriage to any other man who cannot or will not give me all of those things."

"I promise, Sango."

The two continued on in silence, a pleased smile tugging at Sango's lips and an aura of calm happiness surrounding the monk Miroku.

END.


Author's Note: Written for the first prompt of MirSan Week on Tumblr, favorite episode. I love "Only You, Sango," episode 78.