Pretty Boy
By Makoto Sagara
Disclaimers: I don't own Inu Yasha, or any of its characters. Even if Miroku is the yummiest houshi on the planet, he isn't mine. He and the rest of IY belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sensei and other companies. Also, the song PRETTY BOY was written and sung by M2M, off their Shades of Purple CD. Don't own that either. Just like it a lot.
Warning: None, except Miroku is Miroku, and Sango is a little nicer b/c she is very thoughtful.
Rating: G, for love…
Inu Yasha-tachi(1) was situated in a nice comfortable house for a change to spend the night. Miroku had, again, convinced some unsuspecting rich person that their house was infected by a bad aura. He had offered his services to rid them of the evil presence for a night's stay at their home.
To keep up the charade, he walked the halls of the home, muttering a chant and placing ofuda on the walls. He was very thorough in his "exorcism" practice. He turned to the owner of the house.
"You should have no more problems after this, but I should stay here over night to make sure."
"Hai, houshi-sama(2). In fact, I insist. Now, I'm sure my daughter, Sakura, has cooked a nice dinner, if you and your friends would kindly join us."
"Of course, let me call my friends. Inu Yasha, Kagome-sama, Sango-sama, Shippou, we are done and dinner is almost finished. Care to join us?"
"Bout time, bouzu(3)." Inu Yasha said, of course, with his usual wit.
The group gathered around a nice meal. The nicest one they had had in a while, in fact. They could only live off of Kagome's odd ramen for so long.
"Ittedakimasu minna-san(4)." Shippou chimed in.
The group ate ravenously. The owner and his daughter watched in awe as the table that was full of food was cleared within seconds, especially the youkai, who ate like they were starved. The odd girl ate within a reasonable limit, and the taiji-ya(5) merely picked at the food that was set before her.
Miroku noticed this. "Sango-sama, daijoubu desu ka?(6)"
She looked up distractedly. "Hai. I guess I'm not that hungry. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go lay down."
Sakura hopped from the table. "Taiji-ya, let me show you to the room that you will be sharing with your friends. Follow me."
"Domo arigatou.(7)" She stood from the table and followed the young girl.
Down the hall and two doors later, Sango was ushered into a room that held four futons. Two were separated with a partition.
"Summimasen(8), but we are trying to fix the rest of the house. This is the only room we have that is suitable for guests. I hope you feel better."
"This is fine. Thank you." She entered and laid on the nearest futon.
'What is that houshi's problem? At every town or village we pass, he finds a house that is "troubled". He is such a fraud. Doesn't he tire of this, ever?'
She pictured the houshi's face. Violet eyes, silly grin on his face, wicked gleam in his eyes, hair pulled back, soul exposed, though he tried to hide it. She was amazed that one minute he could be so sweet and gentle, and the next lecherous and worthy of being smacked into next week.
Though she tried to shake his face from her mind, it wouldn't go away. 'Why cant I stop thinking about him. I need to rest. Okay, I will think about Kirara.'
She looked around for the sulfuric fire cat. She noticed it curled in a corner of the room. "Kirara, come here." She called to her companion. The cat perked her head up at her mistress's voice and obliged her, curling up next to her.
See things in black and white
I've only got you inside my mind
You know you have made me blind
She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. It evaded her, as much as Naraku evaded the group. She sighed and resolved herself to look up at the sky through the window.
The stars were bright, as bright as the gleam in Miroku's eyes before he did something that usually resulted in some abuse of his body. She wished that thought away. She had been on the receiving end of that lecherous gleam more than once. Still, he looked like a gorgeous devil when he had that look.
For the umpteenth time that day, she wished that when he looked at her it wasn't full of pity or lecherous intentions. She wondered why she thought of him so much. Then a disturbing thought entered her mind.
'You love him.'
She wondered from what remote corner of her mind that came from. It was preposterous. She could never love someone like that. He was so inconsiderate sometimes. He drove her insane most of the time. But then, there were those moments were he was incredibly sweet and caring. A small smile played across her lips in the dark. She knew that little voice was right in some way, though she would die before she voiced that.
After their adventure ended, Kagome would go home. Miroku would find some woman to give him an heir, and a family possibly. Inu Yasha would probably turn into a full youkai(9) or human and go off to live with Kagome. Shippou would either stay here, or go off with Kagome. He was the most likely to be able to stay with her in her time. And she, as was her duty, would hunt down menacing youkai and kill them. Lonely, but determined. That was her calling, she was sure of it.
Her heart was sadly burdened by that realization. She was doomed to be alone. Unless, someone came along and made it different, that would be her life. She silently wiped away a tear that had spilled over from her eye. 'Traitorous emotions, I allow you too much freedom when I am alone. I will be alone, end of story. Miroku will be with some woman. But I somehow wish that I were that woman.'
That you will look my way
I have all this longing in my heart
I knew it right from the start
Oh my pretty, pretty boy I love you
Like I never ever loved no one before you
Pretty, pretty boy of mine
Just tell me you love me too
Oh my pretty, pretty boy
I need you
Oh my pretty, pretty boy I do
Let me inside
Make me stay right beside you
The rest of the group arrived after Sango had managed to stop the tears from spilling. They entered the room and saw her looking out of the window.
"What's her problem?" Inu Yasha barked at the sight.
"Inu Yasha! That is rude." Kagome admonished him.
"What? She's been acting funny all day. Maybe it's that time of the-"
"OSUWARI!(10)"
Thunk!
"Don't you even say that, or even think that. It's rude and stupid." She yelled at the prostrate hanyou(11).
Miroku and Shippou exchanged looks that shared the thought that the youkai deserved that one. Miroku then walked over to the lonely woman at the window, who hadn't looked up at the previous exchange.
"Sango-sama, are you alright? You aren't ill, are you? I'm sure we could find a doctor if you are." He asked, very concerned.
"Iie. I'm fine. I just need to go out to take a walk. Don't worry. I'll be ok." She replied distantly.
She stood up and walked out the door of the room, Kirara right behind her mistress. Her friends watched silently as she left.
"Should someone talk to her?" Shippou asked from his new perch, Kagome's shoulder.
"Iie. Let her alone. Like she said, she'll be fine." Kagome said, though she hardly believe the words that came from her mouth.
Sango walked out to the garden adjacent to the house. She spotted a tree, and sat underneath its heavy boughs. She sighed heavily as Kirara curled up in her lap.
Staring at the stars, she pulled out a piece of paper from her inner sleeve of her yukata. On it was the names of her friends, all written in her neat and efficient handwriting. She glanced at the paper. Kagome Higarashi, Shippou – kistune youkai, Inu Yasha – hanyou, Miroku – houshi. She paused at the last name.
"Miroku… How odd that someone so lecherous could have the name of a god… And yet it seems to fit(11)." She sighed deeply, and absently petted Kirara.
Sango leaned her head against the trunk of the tree and placed the scrap of paper to her chest, while she closed her eyes.
"Sango-sama? Sango…" She heard distantly. She just assumed that she was imagining Miroku call her and didn't bother to open her eyes.
And put it in a frame
And sometime I think I hear you call
Right from my bedroom wall
"Ah, Sango-sama, so this is where you ran off to. A very nice and peaceful place to reflect, neh?" Miroku replied casually.
Sango startled and hurriedly stuffed the paper into her yukata before Miroku sat down next to her, avoiding the fire demon. She blushed as she remembered what she had been dreaming about before his arrival. A future of being a certain houshi's wife, raising heirs and being loved without consequences, was still with her when she returned to reality.
Miroku gazed at the taiji-ya. "Something wrong, Sango-chan? You seem a little flustered. Did I wake you?"
"H-hai…"
"Ah, it is just as well. The nights are cold and you will catch something if you sleep out here unprotected. That would be most grievous, as Inu Yasha would gripe when we had to stay to make sure you were well again."
"Ano… hai, I guess it would." She hoped he hadn't noticed her trying to hide the paper. "I'm…uh…fine…houshi-sama. Did you come looking for me?"
"Hai, we were all worried about you when you left. Except for Inu Yasha, of course, but what can you expect from him? When you didn't return after an hour Kagome got really worried, so I offered to find you while Inu Yasha was being sat a good 10 times or so." He gave her a brilliant smile that melted her heart all over again.
"Heh, I think he might have deserved it." She smirked as she turned her attention to the cloudless sky.
"No sympathy for him then?"
"Not a lick. He deserves it every time she says Osuwari. Actually, he deserves more than that, but we live with what we have, neh?"
"Hai. So, what were you trying to hide when I came?"
"Um, n-nothing. N-nothing at all, really." She stuttered.
"Ah, is that so? Well keep your secrets. It is what makes a woman more desirable."
She blushed bright red, unable to say anything to his remark. She thanked Buddha that the shadows hid her face truly from his view. She had no idea what to say to him about any of this conversation. He confused and excited her, which confused her more.
He smiled again at her slight discomfort. He lifted her face towards him and marveled at the flush in her cheeks. 'How is she able to stay alert with all that color in her face?' "Sango…" 'Ghodz, she is really cute when she blushes like this.'
"Hai, houshi-sama?" She barely whispered to the bemused Miroku.
"Miroku, please."
"H-hai, Miroku?"
"I…um…"
She held her breath for what he was going to say. "H-hai?"
"I… believe… it is time to return to the others. It is late, and I have yet to tell them that I have found you safely. No need to worry Kagome more, neh?"
And touch me with your smile
And what can I say to make you mine
To reach out for you in time
Oh my pretty, pretty boy I love you
Like I never ever loved no one before you
Pretty, pretty boy of mine
Just tell me you love me too
She looked at the sky again, as her heart was shoved back down her throat. "I… guess so…"
"Sango-sama?"
"Hai, houshi-sama?"
"When all this is over do you think we could still be friends?"
"Yes… but that depends on what you call friends."
"Just being able to talk like this sometimes."
"I would like that very much, Miroku."
He stood up and held his hand to help her up as well. "So would I."
She placed her hands into his, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Suddenly, there was a foreign hand on her bottom. "Miroku…"
"Hai, Sango-sama?" He gave her a brilliant smile, enhanced by the moonlight.
"Remove your hand from its current position, or I will."
The hand disappeared suddenly. "Gomen." He gave he a sly, and small grin.
I need you
Oh my pretty, pretty boy I do
Let me inside
Make me stay right beside you
Oh pretty boy
Say you love me too
Sango relaxed a little on the walk back to the house. A hand appeared on her shoulder. This time the hand was welcome. She blushed a little at the contact and looked over at the houshi beside her.
"You looked like you needed a hug, but I wasn't sure how you take to me touching you that much."
"Why are you so worried about me, Miroku?"
"Because we are friends, and one day we will have to face death head-on. Why not be nice and care about your friends when you have the time? Especially when they are as beautiful as you."
Her blushed deepened.
He stopped and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "I worry about you because I… love…you."
She stopped and looked at him bewildered. "You…love…me?"
"Hai. Is that a bad thing?"
"Iie. That is wonderful. I…" She tried to hide the blushed as it darkened still. "…Love you as well, Miroku."
"Well, that is wonderful news indeed. Come, let's walk back before they worry about us for real." He grabbed her hand gently and walked to the house.
'I hope that this is for real. If it is a dream, please Buddha, don't let me wake up.' She wished silently.
Like I never ever loved no one before you
Pretty, pretty boy of mine
Just tell me you love me too
Oh my pretty, pretty boy
I need you
Oh my pretty, pretty boy I do
Let me inside
Make me stay right beside you
The End
(1)Inu Yasha-tachi ~ Inu Yasha & company
(2)houshi-sama ~ a respectful term for a Buddhist priest
(3)bouzo ~ a disrespectful term for a priest
(4)Ittedakimasu minna-san ~ "Let's eat, everyone!"
(5)taiji-ya ~ in Sango's case, an exterminator of demons
(6)Daijobu desu ka? ~ "All you alright?"
(7)Domo arigatou ~ Thank you
(8)Summimasen ~ I'm very sorry, I apologize profusely
(9)youkai ~ term for demon
(10)OSUWARI ~ "SIT!"
(11)hanyou ~ term for half-demon