Chapter Nine: Return Home!
Miroku and Sango strode away from the village. They hadn't slept much, nor done anything else for that matter. They had spent the night in each other's arms, gazing at the stars. They left at dawn eager to be away from the inn and on their way to Sango's home. The day promised to be glorious in every way. The sun was golden, the sky was blue, and bird song filled the forest as the two travelers passed under the blooming foliage.
They walked in silence, hand in hand. Enjoying their time alone, their time together. Miles passed quickly and soon the abandoned remains of Sango's village came into view. The once sturdy gate was hanging at a crazy angle, resting against the shattered wall. The charred and ruined houses were covered in moss and new growth. Miroku squeezed Sango's hand comfortingly and gave her a warm smile. She smiled back and pressed herself against his side. They stopped in front of a long line of dirt mounds, the tombs of Sango's family, her friends. Miroku sighed and thought back to the day they had found the village. He and Inuyasha had buried the dead at Kagome's request. He had laid her family to rest.
Sango buried her face in Miroku's shoulder struggling to hold back the tears. Her life had been destroyed in one swift stroke, destroyed by Naraku. The monk led Sango towards a large tree and gently lowered her to the ground. They sat there against the tree Miroku silent out of respect for the dead and Sango's feelings. She rested against him contently; silent tears streaming down her cheeks. She was thankful for his presence, a rock to cling to in the depths of the storm.
Sango didn't remember falling asleep. The sun was rising to the left and it cast pale shadows across the courtyard. She tried to sit up but something was holding her down. She looked down at her waist and saw Miroku asleep still, beside her with an arm held protectively around her waist. She smiled and pulled slowly free letting Miroku sleep.
The village was much different than she remembered it. She strode between the wrecked buildings, calling memories of her lost home to the surface. So many happy memories. She wished she could stay and rebuild those memories, but she had friends who needed her now. She made her way to an old cave at the rear of the village. The sealed cave that only exterminators could open. The blue shield fell away at her touch, leaving the gray cave mouth empty and dark. She walked hurriedly inside; she wanted to get out as soon as possible.
Miroku threw more wood onto the fire he had made. Sango had gone before he had awoken and he had thought it wise to wait for her return. It was almost noon judging by the position of the sun. "One more hour." He said turning a log.
"One more hour until what?" Sango's voice came from behind the tree he was leaning against. "Oh good morning Sango." He replied cheerfully. "I was just giving you a time limit before I came after you, I see there was no need." She stepped around the tree and sat next to Miroku. "Did you find what we came for?" he inquired. She showed him a thin metal plate, about four inches square with a dragon carved into the top. "The scrolls said that this is a Youkai binder, it has the power to unite two souls." Miroku peered at it intently. "Very interesting, anything else?" she smiled "of course but I want to save that until we get back to Seven." Miroku smiled "of course, after all it concerns him the most."
"Actually." She started putting the plate aside. "I just want to talk to you about something else." There was a slight blush in her cheeks; the monk missed it completely. "Alright Sango, what would that be?" she put a hand hesitantly on his. "Did you really mean what you told me the other night?" he smiled. "Of course, well which part?" she glared at him. "Never mind." She stood up and stalked off into the destroyed village. Miroku stared after her in confusion "what did I say this time?'
Sango sat by her own fire. She had convinced Miroku to stay one more night and then return in the morning. The sky was clear and full of stars, the moon hung like a silver mirror to the heavens. It had been a hard thing to do, returning to her home. The only thing that had kept her together was Miroku. She sighed and stood to gather some more wood. A slight pressure applied itself to her rear. "Hello Sango." She growled. "MIROKU! HENTAI!" SLAP. He sat down hard rubbing his cheek. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that." He mumbled.
She returned to her seat next to Miroku. He had a determined look on his face. "Now Sango." He started, straight backed and trying his best to sound calm. "I have given this a lot of thought and have come to a decision." She glanced at him; it was her turn to look confused. "What do you mean Miroku?" he coughed and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "This is a lot harder than asking for sex." He mumbled under his breath. "What was that?" he gulped and stared at Sango. Had she heard, no, thank God.
"Well." He started again. "We have been traveling together for a long time now, and, well," he paused as if looking for the right words. "I would like it if I could ask a favor of you." She nodded. "I want to know, would you consider, becoming, damn this is harder that I thought." He chuckled, "you think I would be immune to fear of women by now." She was staring at him; her expression was a cross between confusion and total bewilderment. "What's wrong Miroku, what do you want me to be?" he took a deep breath. "I would be honored if you would become my wife." There it was out. He exhaled and looked over at Sango.
She had a hand over her mouth and was blushing. "Miroku!" she gasped. "Do you mean that?" he stared at her in shock. "Of course I do, what else could I mean?" she blushed a deeper red. He caught on "oh I see, no I am not just trying to get you to bear my child, although that will be included." He paused and braced himself for a slap, it never came. He continued. "I want to spent the rest of my life with you Sango, as long as I live I want to be with you no matter what happens." His knuckles were turning white as he clutched folds of his robe.
Sango smiled and leaned closer to the Monk. "I will become your wife Miroku." She almost sang. Tears were trickling down her face, tears of joy. He reached for her and pulled her into a deep hug. "As a monk, I can marry us you know." He smiled down at her. She smiled back and pulled herself to a kneeling position. "Then let us marry tonight!" Miroku blinked in surprise, "wow and my mother always told my that women made a big fuss over weddings." She smiled, "well if you want we can wait a few months." He caught the joke. "Of course not my love." My love, Sango had never heard anything sound so right, so full of happiness. She loved it.
The next day they left late in the morning. Once again they had gotten little sleep, but for different reasons. They left hand in hand, husband and wife. They still had a journey of a day or two to catch up with Inuyasha and the others but they didn't mind, time alone was fine.
That night they stopped on the roadside. There were no villages around and thus no accommodation to steal. Miroku was really starting to like sleeping under the stars. After they had eaten Sango asked Miroku an unexpected question. "Why did you propose at this time Miroku?" he shrugged. "Do I need a reason?' she nodded. He smiled sheepishly. "Actually it was Seven who brought the idea to my attention." She gasped "WHAT!?" he scratched his head. "Yeah. It was odd, he took he aside one night and convinced me that marrying you was something that we both needed." He paused. "He almost sounded desperate and worried, I wonder why?" she smiled and sat on his lap. She then wrapped her hands around his neck. "Well at least you finally got around to it, although it took you almost four years." he smiled. "Has it been that long? Where has the time gone?" she pulled his face closer to hers, he rubbed her backside. "As long as we use our time together now." She pulled him into a very serious kiss.
Miroku and Sango strode away from the village. They hadn't slept much, nor done anything else for that matter. They had spent the night in each other's arms, gazing at the stars. They left at dawn eager to be away from the inn and on their way to Sango's home. The day promised to be glorious in every way. The sun was golden, the sky was blue, and bird song filled the forest as the two travelers passed under the blooming foliage.
They walked in silence, hand in hand. Enjoying their time alone, their time together. Miles passed quickly and soon the abandoned remains of Sango's village came into view. The once sturdy gate was hanging at a crazy angle, resting against the shattered wall. The charred and ruined houses were covered in moss and new growth. Miroku squeezed Sango's hand comfortingly and gave her a warm smile. She smiled back and pressed herself against his side. They stopped in front of a long line of dirt mounds, the tombs of Sango's family, her friends. Miroku sighed and thought back to the day they had found the village. He and Inuyasha had buried the dead at Kagome's request. He had laid her family to rest.
Sango buried her face in Miroku's shoulder struggling to hold back the tears. Her life had been destroyed in one swift stroke, destroyed by Naraku. The monk led Sango towards a large tree and gently lowered her to the ground. They sat there against the tree Miroku silent out of respect for the dead and Sango's feelings. She rested against him contently; silent tears streaming down her cheeks. She was thankful for his presence, a rock to cling to in the depths of the storm.
Sango didn't remember falling asleep. The sun was rising to the left and it cast pale shadows across the courtyard. She tried to sit up but something was holding her down. She looked down at her waist and saw Miroku asleep still, beside her with an arm held protectively around her waist. She smiled and pulled slowly free letting Miroku sleep.
The village was much different than she remembered it. She strode between the wrecked buildings, calling memories of her lost home to the surface. So many happy memories. She wished she could stay and rebuild those memories, but she had friends who needed her now. She made her way to an old cave at the rear of the village. The sealed cave that only exterminators could open. The blue shield fell away at her touch, leaving the gray cave mouth empty and dark. She walked hurriedly inside; she wanted to get out as soon as possible.
Miroku threw more wood onto the fire he had made. Sango had gone before he had awoken and he had thought it wise to wait for her return. It was almost noon judging by the position of the sun. "One more hour." He said turning a log.
"One more hour until what?" Sango's voice came from behind the tree he was leaning against. "Oh good morning Sango." He replied cheerfully. "I was just giving you a time limit before I came after you, I see there was no need." She stepped around the tree and sat next to Miroku. "Did you find what we came for?" he inquired. She showed him a thin metal plate, about four inches square with a dragon carved into the top. "The scrolls said that this is a Youkai binder, it has the power to unite two souls." Miroku peered at it intently. "Very interesting, anything else?" she smiled "of course but I want to save that until we get back to Seven." Miroku smiled "of course, after all it concerns him the most."
"Actually." She started putting the plate aside. "I just want to talk to you about something else." There was a slight blush in her cheeks; the monk missed it completely. "Alright Sango, what would that be?" she put a hand hesitantly on his. "Did you really mean what you told me the other night?" he smiled. "Of course, well which part?" she glared at him. "Never mind." She stood up and stalked off into the destroyed village. Miroku stared after her in confusion "what did I say this time?'
Sango sat by her own fire. She had convinced Miroku to stay one more night and then return in the morning. The sky was clear and full of stars, the moon hung like a silver mirror to the heavens. It had been a hard thing to do, returning to her home. The only thing that had kept her together was Miroku. She sighed and stood to gather some more wood. A slight pressure applied itself to her rear. "Hello Sango." She growled. "MIROKU! HENTAI!" SLAP. He sat down hard rubbing his cheek. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that." He mumbled.
She returned to her seat next to Miroku. He had a determined look on his face. "Now Sango." He started, straight backed and trying his best to sound calm. "I have given this a lot of thought and have come to a decision." She glanced at him; it was her turn to look confused. "What do you mean Miroku?" he coughed and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "This is a lot harder than asking for sex." He mumbled under his breath. "What was that?" he gulped and stared at Sango. Had she heard, no, thank God.
"Well." He started again. "We have been traveling together for a long time now, and, well," he paused as if looking for the right words. "I would like it if I could ask a favor of you." She nodded. "I want to know, would you consider, becoming, damn this is harder that I thought." He chuckled, "you think I would be immune to fear of women by now." She was staring at him; her expression was a cross between confusion and total bewilderment. "What's wrong Miroku, what do you want me to be?" he took a deep breath. "I would be honored if you would become my wife." There it was out. He exhaled and looked over at Sango.
She had a hand over her mouth and was blushing. "Miroku!" she gasped. "Do you mean that?" he stared at her in shock. "Of course I do, what else could I mean?" she blushed a deeper red. He caught on "oh I see, no I am not just trying to get you to bear my child, although that will be included." He paused and braced himself for a slap, it never came. He continued. "I want to spent the rest of my life with you Sango, as long as I live I want to be with you no matter what happens." His knuckles were turning white as he clutched folds of his robe.
Sango smiled and leaned closer to the Monk. "I will become your wife Miroku." She almost sang. Tears were trickling down her face, tears of joy. He reached for her and pulled her into a deep hug. "As a monk, I can marry us you know." He smiled down at her. She smiled back and pulled herself to a kneeling position. "Then let us marry tonight!" Miroku blinked in surprise, "wow and my mother always told my that women made a big fuss over weddings." She smiled, "well if you want we can wait a few months." He caught the joke. "Of course not my love." My love, Sango had never heard anything sound so right, so full of happiness. She loved it.
The next day they left late in the morning. Once again they had gotten little sleep, but for different reasons. They left hand in hand, husband and wife. They still had a journey of a day or two to catch up with Inuyasha and the others but they didn't mind, time alone was fine.
That night they stopped on the roadside. There were no villages around and thus no accommodation to steal. Miroku was really starting to like sleeping under the stars. After they had eaten Sango asked Miroku an unexpected question. "Why did you propose at this time Miroku?" he shrugged. "Do I need a reason?' she nodded. He smiled sheepishly. "Actually it was Seven who brought the idea to my attention." She gasped "WHAT!?" he scratched his head. "Yeah. It was odd, he took he aside one night and convinced me that marrying you was something that we both needed." He paused. "He almost sounded desperate and worried, I wonder why?" she smiled and sat on his lap. She then wrapped her hands around his neck. "Well at least you finally got around to it, although it took you almost four years." he smiled. "Has it been that long? Where has the time gone?" she pulled his face closer to hers, he rubbed her backside. "As long as we use our time together now." She pulled him into a very serious kiss.