Demon Body, Human Heart
By DemonSaya
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!
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Chapter 7: Feuling the Flames
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Sango tried to ignore the lech as they fought to put out the forest fires that had began, quite annoyingly, to pop up at random in the forest that almost completely surrounded the small town. She'd been barely able to control her disgust when he volunteered to give her help she didn't need. He always insisted on butting in on everything.
Miroku was quite uncomfortable with the looks Sango was giving him and the coldness in her voice whenever he attempted to make conversations. She would give a one word answer and then proceed to ignore him until he made another attempt. Finally, he got fed up with it and glared into the flames they were fighting so desperately. "What on earth did I do to piss you off so badly, Sango-sama..." He said, throwing more sand onto the flames with a grunt.
She tried to ignore him, but couldn't. His scent still wafted under her nose. He was too close, too near to her, his voice too much like a caress. "Maybe it's because you insulted my competence by insisting on helping me."
He loked at her sharply as the fire gradually faded. "Really? I guess maybe my wanting to help you doesn't matter. Maybe I just wanted to spend time with a friend..." He noticed the disbelief on her face and sighed.
She threw a bit more sand, finally extinguishing the fire. "Miroku-sama, I'm not stupid. You were just itching for a chance to get alone with any girl so you could cop a feel."
That one stung. He stepped back at the attack involuntarily, staring at her, hurt. His jaw hung loose and he forced his eyes away shielding his eyes from her with his thick black bangs. He couldn't look at her. Not with what was welling in his eyes.
No one had ever hurt him in such a way before.
"So excuse me for not being civil with-" She looked towards him, suprised to see him looking at where the fire used to be.
"Heh..." He forced a smile onto his lips. "I guess you think that I'm just some lech, too, huh..." He closed his eyes, releasing on pearl shaped tear to glide down his face. He heard Sango's gasp, but didn't look at her. Instead, he stared into nothing. "I guess you don't realize that there is more to me than meets the eye. I guess you don't know-"
Abruptly he stopped, turned on his heal and walked stiffly towards the village.
She watched him go in shock. "Miroku-sama..." She whispered, her hand going to her throat. "Was he...crying?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miroku walked back to the hut after regaining his composure. What was it about him that turned her OFF so badly? He hated to gloat, but he had a reputation for being able to charm any woman. Unless that woman happened to be claimed by a half-demon, was under-age, or happened to be the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
He sulked past several people, not noticing the women who were following him with their eyes. He was...depressed.
With a sigh, he flopped down on a bridge, letting his legs hang on either side of a beam. He stared down into the water, looking at his reflection. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it is better if she didn't love him in return. After all, if he ever had a child with her, no doubt she would just wind up like his own mother had.
He winced, his eyes pained. He'd never known his mother. She'd died because she'd given birth to him. His black hold had swallowed her up. As his father's had swallowed his grandmother, and eventually even his father. It was the destiny of the men in his family. Reproduce, the woman you love dies, then you die. He stared at his hand, his face melancholy. It hurt knowing that love would eventually destroy you and everything you hold dear.
It was why he'd been so fickle while choosing a mate. He had refused for so long to love anyone, refused to be touched by anything. Until he met Sango.
She'd changed all that.
But she was like the Princess of Ice. Cold, uncaring, unloving.
All she saw was some lech who couldn't-wouldn't-settle down. If only she looked deeper than his mask.
If only-
"Oi."
The feral voice caused his head to jerk up. Inuyasha stood above him, wearing a rather annoyed expression. "Oh..." The priest managed to conjure up a half-hearted smile. He saw a strange expression cross Inuyasha's face and the half-demon sat down beside him.
Inuyasha could see the lost, and somewhat forlorn look on the monk's face and recognized it instantly. He'd seen it enough on his own face to know that the monk was having major mental stress. "You were supposed to be working with Sango to stop the fires."
"She didn't want me there."
"Since when do you listen to what other people want..." The dog-demon arched an eyebrow.
Miroku winced. "I guess I deserved that. But this is different, for many reasons." He lowered his eyes, staring into the bright blue water. "I am a bother to her."
"You're a bother to everyone."
Miroku looked up at Inuyasha sharply, his face angry. "Nani?! And how many times might you have died if not for me and my air rip?"
Inuyasha cracked a grin. "Miroku, you're too serious." He said with a snort. His face slowly became serious and he looked across the water. "Sometimes, people can't express how they feel about a person, because they don't want to be hurt." He smiled a bit. "They force themselves not to feel, and eventually, the feelings well up...and the person breaks."
Miroku stared at the demon's profile in shock. Inuyasha had a far off look in his eyes, as if he was remembering another time and place.
"Sometimes, it's too soon for both people, and hearts can be broken. It takes time to fix someone who's been hurt." Golden eyes met Miroku's brown one's. "But when it's the breaks been fixed, then the feelings that have been bottled up so long rush out."
"Kinda like you." Miroku smiled a bit, staring down at his cursed hand.
"Kagome helped me find something I thought I'd lost forever, bozu. I couldn't help love her. I think you will have to do the same thing for Sango. It takes time, but when it's over, I can almost garuntee...it'll be the most rewarding feeling you'll ever have in your life. And it will never be equalled by anything."
Shock rendered the priest silent. The demon had openly admitted his feelings for Kagome. "Red-letter day." Miroku grinned over at Inuyasha, who grinned back.
"I guess so."
Sesshoumaru walked up, his face irritated. "Have you seen Rin?"
Inuyasha looked up. "Wasn't she with Kagome?!"
"Your woman went to help the demon hunter put out fires." The icy voice caused them all to shiver.
Inuyasha lifted his nose to the air. "So use your nose. It's good enough, right?"
"Winds wrong."
Miroku frowned deeply. "I sense something...A large quantity of demon's."
Panic flashed into all three of their eyes. "THE GIRLS!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rin sat on the singed trunk of the Go Shinboku tree, watching the girls scoop sand onto fires, slowly extinguishing them. She felt funny. Like something was coming towards them.
The others seemed to sense something was wrong, too, but they remained calm, and she knew it was too keep her the same. So, she sat there, remaining quite until finally, the girls stood ramrod straight, and turned slowly. Kagome moved swiftly, scooping Rin from the branch and held her close, her eyes concerned. "You feel it, Sango-chan?"
"Hm..." Sango answered, standing close beside Kagome. She'd left her boomerang in the village, too. Frowning deeply, she stood protectively in front of Kagome as demon's began creeping from the treeline and towards them. She felt panic rising in her throat. There were so many. She knew they were being attracted to the village, because of the shikon no tama, if not for many other reasons, but she had no idea there would be so many.
Abruptly, she drew her katana, her eyes frightened. "Stay near me, Kagome, and don't let go of Rin, no matter what!"
A demon lunged towards them, and was ripped apart by savage claws. A different demon stood there, with an elegant face, long, flowing white hair, and a very formal hakama. As the demon's lunged towards him, he made a graceful movement and they were sliced apart instantly.
Inuyasha was just behind his brother in arriving. The demon's behind Kagome lunged forwards in an attack, and suddenly, there was the sound of rushing wind and they were vaporized in an instant. He stood there, the steel-cleaving fang in his relaxed grasp, a confident grin on his face.
Sango, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru formed a protective circle around Kagome and Rin, but Sango, who'd been fighting off demons with her small sword was bleeding. A demon lunged towards her, eager to feast on her blood, but it froze in mid-lunge, hanging in the air, till suddenly it was pulled back and disappeared.
Miroku stepped from the treeline, his rosary just barely around his hand, his face serious.
The demon's, who'd been confident when it was just the girls, ran like hell itself was on their heals.
Sango heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed. Right into a certain Houshi's arms. She saw the worry on his face and quickly pushed herself away from him. "I'm fine." She growled, angry that she'd been forced to rely on his help once more.
Miroku stepped back, his face worried still.
Sango staggered through the woods, followed by Inuyasha, Kagome, Sesshoumaru, and Rin. Miroku brought up the tail, dragging his feet, his eyes sad and worried. He kept them on Sango's back as he trudged along. She looked like a good, strong wind would knock her right off her feet. After a moment, he sighed. "Kagome-sama." He said shortly.
Kagome stopped, looking back at Miroku with a smile. "Hai, Miroku-sama?"
He looked at the ground. "Could you...perhaps convince Sango-sama to talk to me. There is somethings I must say to her..."
Understanding flooded the girls eyes and she nodded, walking back ahead in the line, and up towards Sango, who looked as though she were having trouble.
Kagome pulled Sango's arm around her shoulders. "Thank you, Sango-chan." She said with a smile. She saw the smile on her friends face and nodded. "But I think there's someone you should thank, as well."
"I'll thank Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru when we're back in the village." Sango said softly.
"I don't mean them." She glanced back, gesturing to Miroku, who to Kagome looked very much alone. "I meant Miroku-sama." She squeezed her friends shoulders gently. "He helped too."
Grudgingly, Sango nodded. "Whatever..."
Kagome stopped, and when Miroku passed by, Kagome smiled sweetly. "Miroku- sama...could you get Sango? Onegai?" She saw the relief on Miroku's face as he nodded.
"Hai."
"Don't you dare try to cop a feel." Sango growled at him, her face angry as Kagome ran back up to Inuyasha.
"Do not worry. There is a time and place for such things, and this is not it." He said softly, looking at the ground, helping her walk along.
She glared at the ground, her face upset. "Look," She grumbled. "I guess I wanted to say thank you for saving my hide back there."
He glanced towards her in suprise. Then, he smiled. "What else could I do?"
Sango felt her heart skip a beat. "You can let go, now..." She muttered, looking away.
"Maybe I don't want to." He whisered, looking at the ground, his face sad. "Maybe I want to help you back. At least this means I can hold you without the threat of being severely maimed for it." He refused to look at her as she looked back. Neither of them noticed the other's had gone on ahead.
"EEP!" Sango pushed him away harshly, staggering a bit.
Miroku caught her arms, holding her upright, his face worried. "Are you alright, Sango-sama...?"
She tried to pull away from him, but was too weak. "Stop trying to cop a feel you stupid houshi!" She cried as she struggled. "Let me go! HELP!"
Miroku watched her struggle, her lips parting, noting the paleness of her face. After a long moment, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. Not tight enough to inflict further damage upon her wounnds, but tight enough to keep her against his chest. He nuzzled her neck, his eyes sad. "You stubborn woman...can't you see how I feel?" He whispered, his frustration almost to the breaking point.
"You don't feel! All women are to you are baby-making machines! Well women have feelings too, you know! They hurt and they love and they hate!" She struggled to get out of his grasp, but he was too strong.
"So...women can, but I can't?" He asked, tilting her face up so he could stare down into her stormy grey eyes.
"You ask every woman in a eight mile radius of where you stand if they'll have your child...every woman except me! Am I that different because I'm a demon hunter?! Do you not see me as a woman?!" She felt her emotions surfacing, no matter how hard she tried to keep them down. "I'm not pretty to you, I'm just another one of those stupid...stupid...demon hunters to you-!"
Miroku let out a soft growl in the middle of her speach and grabbed her face. Finally, when she had infuriated him to the point where he couldn't think, didn't want to think, he pulled her in close, crushing her lips against his in a passionate kiss that made his body relax.
Finally...
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Author's Notes: Ain't I evil?! XD Anyways, Waffy Inu/Kag moments coming up. You Miroku/Sango fans will have to wait a bit longer, though. Gomen, don't worry, though, your fun will come soon enough ^_^
By DemonSaya
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 7: Feuling the Flames
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sango tried to ignore the lech as they fought to put out the forest fires that had began, quite annoyingly, to pop up at random in the forest that almost completely surrounded the small town. She'd been barely able to control her disgust when he volunteered to give her help she didn't need. He always insisted on butting in on everything.
Miroku was quite uncomfortable with the looks Sango was giving him and the coldness in her voice whenever he attempted to make conversations. She would give a one word answer and then proceed to ignore him until he made another attempt. Finally, he got fed up with it and glared into the flames they were fighting so desperately. "What on earth did I do to piss you off so badly, Sango-sama..." He said, throwing more sand onto the flames with a grunt.
She tried to ignore him, but couldn't. His scent still wafted under her nose. He was too close, too near to her, his voice too much like a caress. "Maybe it's because you insulted my competence by insisting on helping me."
He loked at her sharply as the fire gradually faded. "Really? I guess maybe my wanting to help you doesn't matter. Maybe I just wanted to spend time with a friend..." He noticed the disbelief on her face and sighed.
She threw a bit more sand, finally extinguishing the fire. "Miroku-sama, I'm not stupid. You were just itching for a chance to get alone with any girl so you could cop a feel."
That one stung. He stepped back at the attack involuntarily, staring at her, hurt. His jaw hung loose and he forced his eyes away shielding his eyes from her with his thick black bangs. He couldn't look at her. Not with what was welling in his eyes.
No one had ever hurt him in such a way before.
"So excuse me for not being civil with-" She looked towards him, suprised to see him looking at where the fire used to be.
"Heh..." He forced a smile onto his lips. "I guess you think that I'm just some lech, too, huh..." He closed his eyes, releasing on pearl shaped tear to glide down his face. He heard Sango's gasp, but didn't look at her. Instead, he stared into nothing. "I guess you don't realize that there is more to me than meets the eye. I guess you don't know-"
Abruptly he stopped, turned on his heal and walked stiffly towards the village.
She watched him go in shock. "Miroku-sama..." She whispered, her hand going to her throat. "Was he...crying?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miroku walked back to the hut after regaining his composure. What was it about him that turned her OFF so badly? He hated to gloat, but he had a reputation for being able to charm any woman. Unless that woman happened to be claimed by a half-demon, was under-age, or happened to be the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
He sulked past several people, not noticing the women who were following him with their eyes. He was...depressed.
With a sigh, he flopped down on a bridge, letting his legs hang on either side of a beam. He stared down into the water, looking at his reflection. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it is better if she didn't love him in return. After all, if he ever had a child with her, no doubt she would just wind up like his own mother had.
He winced, his eyes pained. He'd never known his mother. She'd died because she'd given birth to him. His black hold had swallowed her up. As his father's had swallowed his grandmother, and eventually even his father. It was the destiny of the men in his family. Reproduce, the woman you love dies, then you die. He stared at his hand, his face melancholy. It hurt knowing that love would eventually destroy you and everything you hold dear.
It was why he'd been so fickle while choosing a mate. He had refused for so long to love anyone, refused to be touched by anything. Until he met Sango.
She'd changed all that.
But she was like the Princess of Ice. Cold, uncaring, unloving.
All she saw was some lech who couldn't-wouldn't-settle down. If only she looked deeper than his mask.
If only-
"Oi."
The feral voice caused his head to jerk up. Inuyasha stood above him, wearing a rather annoyed expression. "Oh..." The priest managed to conjure up a half-hearted smile. He saw a strange expression cross Inuyasha's face and the half-demon sat down beside him.
Inuyasha could see the lost, and somewhat forlorn look on the monk's face and recognized it instantly. He'd seen it enough on his own face to know that the monk was having major mental stress. "You were supposed to be working with Sango to stop the fires."
"She didn't want me there."
"Since when do you listen to what other people want..." The dog-demon arched an eyebrow.
Miroku winced. "I guess I deserved that. But this is different, for many reasons." He lowered his eyes, staring into the bright blue water. "I am a bother to her."
"You're a bother to everyone."
Miroku looked up at Inuyasha sharply, his face angry. "Nani?! And how many times might you have died if not for me and my air rip?"
Inuyasha cracked a grin. "Miroku, you're too serious." He said with a snort. His face slowly became serious and he looked across the water. "Sometimes, people can't express how they feel about a person, because they don't want to be hurt." He smiled a bit. "They force themselves not to feel, and eventually, the feelings well up...and the person breaks."
Miroku stared at the demon's profile in shock. Inuyasha had a far off look in his eyes, as if he was remembering another time and place.
"Sometimes, it's too soon for both people, and hearts can be broken. It takes time to fix someone who's been hurt." Golden eyes met Miroku's brown one's. "But when it's the breaks been fixed, then the feelings that have been bottled up so long rush out."
"Kinda like you." Miroku smiled a bit, staring down at his cursed hand.
"Kagome helped me find something I thought I'd lost forever, bozu. I couldn't help love her. I think you will have to do the same thing for Sango. It takes time, but when it's over, I can almost garuntee...it'll be the most rewarding feeling you'll ever have in your life. And it will never be equalled by anything."
Shock rendered the priest silent. The demon had openly admitted his feelings for Kagome. "Red-letter day." Miroku grinned over at Inuyasha, who grinned back.
"I guess so."
Sesshoumaru walked up, his face irritated. "Have you seen Rin?"
Inuyasha looked up. "Wasn't she with Kagome?!"
"Your woman went to help the demon hunter put out fires." The icy voice caused them all to shiver.
Inuyasha lifted his nose to the air. "So use your nose. It's good enough, right?"
"Winds wrong."
Miroku frowned deeply. "I sense something...A large quantity of demon's."
Panic flashed into all three of their eyes. "THE GIRLS!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rin sat on the singed trunk of the Go Shinboku tree, watching the girls scoop sand onto fires, slowly extinguishing them. She felt funny. Like something was coming towards them.
The others seemed to sense something was wrong, too, but they remained calm, and she knew it was too keep her the same. So, she sat there, remaining quite until finally, the girls stood ramrod straight, and turned slowly. Kagome moved swiftly, scooping Rin from the branch and held her close, her eyes concerned. "You feel it, Sango-chan?"
"Hm..." Sango answered, standing close beside Kagome. She'd left her boomerang in the village, too. Frowning deeply, she stood protectively in front of Kagome as demon's began creeping from the treeline and towards them. She felt panic rising in her throat. There were so many. She knew they were being attracted to the village, because of the shikon no tama, if not for many other reasons, but she had no idea there would be so many.
Abruptly, she drew her katana, her eyes frightened. "Stay near me, Kagome, and don't let go of Rin, no matter what!"
A demon lunged towards them, and was ripped apart by savage claws. A different demon stood there, with an elegant face, long, flowing white hair, and a very formal hakama. As the demon's lunged towards him, he made a graceful movement and they were sliced apart instantly.
Inuyasha was just behind his brother in arriving. The demon's behind Kagome lunged forwards in an attack, and suddenly, there was the sound of rushing wind and they were vaporized in an instant. He stood there, the steel-cleaving fang in his relaxed grasp, a confident grin on his face.
Sango, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru formed a protective circle around Kagome and Rin, but Sango, who'd been fighting off demons with her small sword was bleeding. A demon lunged towards her, eager to feast on her blood, but it froze in mid-lunge, hanging in the air, till suddenly it was pulled back and disappeared.
Miroku stepped from the treeline, his rosary just barely around his hand, his face serious.
The demon's, who'd been confident when it was just the girls, ran like hell itself was on their heals.
Sango heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed. Right into a certain Houshi's arms. She saw the worry on his face and quickly pushed herself away from him. "I'm fine." She growled, angry that she'd been forced to rely on his help once more.
Miroku stepped back, his face worried still.
Sango staggered through the woods, followed by Inuyasha, Kagome, Sesshoumaru, and Rin. Miroku brought up the tail, dragging his feet, his eyes sad and worried. He kept them on Sango's back as he trudged along. She looked like a good, strong wind would knock her right off her feet. After a moment, he sighed. "Kagome-sama." He said shortly.
Kagome stopped, looking back at Miroku with a smile. "Hai, Miroku-sama?"
He looked at the ground. "Could you...perhaps convince Sango-sama to talk to me. There is somethings I must say to her..."
Understanding flooded the girls eyes and she nodded, walking back ahead in the line, and up towards Sango, who looked as though she were having trouble.
Kagome pulled Sango's arm around her shoulders. "Thank you, Sango-chan." She said with a smile. She saw the smile on her friends face and nodded. "But I think there's someone you should thank, as well."
"I'll thank Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru when we're back in the village." Sango said softly.
"I don't mean them." She glanced back, gesturing to Miroku, who to Kagome looked very much alone. "I meant Miroku-sama." She squeezed her friends shoulders gently. "He helped too."
Grudgingly, Sango nodded. "Whatever..."
Kagome stopped, and when Miroku passed by, Kagome smiled sweetly. "Miroku- sama...could you get Sango? Onegai?" She saw the relief on Miroku's face as he nodded.
"Hai."
"Don't you dare try to cop a feel." Sango growled at him, her face angry as Kagome ran back up to Inuyasha.
"Do not worry. There is a time and place for such things, and this is not it." He said softly, looking at the ground, helping her walk along.
She glared at the ground, her face upset. "Look," She grumbled. "I guess I wanted to say thank you for saving my hide back there."
He glanced towards her in suprise. Then, he smiled. "What else could I do?"
Sango felt her heart skip a beat. "You can let go, now..." She muttered, looking away.
"Maybe I don't want to." He whisered, looking at the ground, his face sad. "Maybe I want to help you back. At least this means I can hold you without the threat of being severely maimed for it." He refused to look at her as she looked back. Neither of them noticed the other's had gone on ahead.
"EEP!" Sango pushed him away harshly, staggering a bit.
Miroku caught her arms, holding her upright, his face worried. "Are you alright, Sango-sama...?"
She tried to pull away from him, but was too weak. "Stop trying to cop a feel you stupid houshi!" She cried as she struggled. "Let me go! HELP!"
Miroku watched her struggle, her lips parting, noting the paleness of her face. After a long moment, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. Not tight enough to inflict further damage upon her wounnds, but tight enough to keep her against his chest. He nuzzled her neck, his eyes sad. "You stubborn woman...can't you see how I feel?" He whispered, his frustration almost to the breaking point.
"You don't feel! All women are to you are baby-making machines! Well women have feelings too, you know! They hurt and they love and they hate!" She struggled to get out of his grasp, but he was too strong.
"So...women can, but I can't?" He asked, tilting her face up so he could stare down into her stormy grey eyes.
"You ask every woman in a eight mile radius of where you stand if they'll have your child...every woman except me! Am I that different because I'm a demon hunter?! Do you not see me as a woman?!" She felt her emotions surfacing, no matter how hard she tried to keep them down. "I'm not pretty to you, I'm just another one of those stupid...stupid...demon hunters to you-!"
Miroku let out a soft growl in the middle of her speach and grabbed her face. Finally, when she had infuriated him to the point where he couldn't think, didn't want to think, he pulled her in close, crushing her lips against his in a passionate kiss that made his body relax.
Finally...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes: Ain't I evil?! XD Anyways, Waffy Inu/Kag moments coming up. You Miroku/Sango fans will have to wait a bit longer, though. Gomen, don't worry, though, your fun will come soon enough ^_^
