Author notes: The opening scene of this update is kind of a contradiction.
Based on Japanese culture at the time, the eating of animal flesh was
uncommon (except among eta), Buddhist philosophy is against it. The
contradiction however is that I remember a scene with Toutousai where
they're all sitting around, roasting a boar. In the end I decided to go
with a vegetarian Miroku (because I already wrote the scene).
"I hope you don't expect me to eat that!?" Miroku stepped backwards in disgust as the restaurant owner placed a freshly roasted wild foul on the table, golden butter dripping off the birds body and spreading out across the plate.
"I'm sorry," The restaurant owner apologized in shame. "I just don't know what you're making a big deal about."
"Buddhist philosophy is strongly against the eating of animal flesh," Miroku stated as he kept his distance from the bird. "Plus, it's also disgusting!" Miroku nearly vomited, "That's why we never eat meat in Japan, only plants and fish."
"I had no idea," The restaurant owner said. "I truly apologize, I can fix something else for you if you like. I already prepared a nice salad, and I could easily throw together a delicious fish and spice stew," He continued, his tone lower and more persuasive, "of course it would cost more."
"That's fine. Just get this thing off my table!" Miroku yelled as he wildly pointed at the dead bird. When the foul had been removed Miroku sat down and looked at the rest of his meal. Not knowing what to eat first Miroku dived into the bowl of delicious smelling spices. Based on their bland and inorganic taste he quickly decided that they were not part of the meal but part of the display, and not meant to be eaten. The stew that had been prepared to replace the foul was especially delicious, unlike anything back home. Miroku's favorite thing had to have been the sweet bread; wheat was a whole new taste for him. When Miroku had finished he leaned back against his chair and watched in surprise as they lay a double decker cake before his eyes.
"The cake is on the house." The restaurant owner said as he watched Miroku's mouth water when the frosting hit his tongue. "I heard about what you two did for that little girl."
"I'm surprised you heard about that," Sesshoumaru remarked as he watched Miroku shove the pastry down his throat, almost choking himself to death, twice. "That didn't happen that long ago."
"Word gets around fast in this town, I imagine everybody knows." The restaurant owner answered.
"It must feel nice to be known for doing something good for somebody else." Miroku said to Sesshoumaru, his cake having already disappeared. Sesshoumaru just shrugged and excused himself from the table. Having finished eating, Miroku paid his bill and followed after Sesshoumaru who was heading towards Jaken and the Beast they had left tied to a post.
"Lord Sesshoumaru." Jaken called out as he ran towards his master. With out so much as a glare of recognition Sesshoumaru dropped his large sack of goods into Jaken's unprepared arms. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I was so worried about you." Jaken said as he attempted to follow behind, his body wavering under the heavy load that had been so ungraciously thrust upon him.
"Hurry up Jaken." Sesshoumaru calmly ordered as he and Miroku climbed onto the back of the two-headed beast.
Once Jaken had gotten on, Sesshoumaru untied the creature and commanded it to continue the journey.
After a few short minutes of flying Miroku asked in confusion as he looked down at the desert below, "I thought there wasn't another town for days in any direction?" Miroku commented as a second fortified town came into view.
"Look more carefully," Sesshoumaru answered. "It's the same town."
"How is that possible?" Miroku asked.
"I don't know, but we should just keep flying." Sesshoumaru said. The more distance they covered however, the closer they got to that same town.
"What the hell's going on?" Miroku yelled into the air as he became fueled with frustration. Having realized they weren't getting anywhere by flying around aimlessly they decided to land again inside the walls of the town.
"Your back again." The restaurant owner called out to Miroku and Sesshoumaru as they traveled through the dusty streets of the bazaar in search of anyone who could tell them what was going on.
"We've been flying as far as we can however we keep ending up back in this same place," Miroku said to the restaurant owner. "Have you ever heard of anything like that happening?" Shocked by their story the restaurant owner searched the banks of his memory for any trace of the answer that they desired. "I've heard of people who died after wandering in the desert for days, not knowing that they were going in circles." The restaurant owner attempted to answer, "or I suppose it could have something to do with him!" he suddenly yelled out, frantically pointing behind Miroku and Sesshoumaru's heads.
Sharply turning their necks in the direction that had been indicated, they looked past the mob of fleeing and panicky merchants to spot an undead corpse slowly walk through the bazaar, the wind carrying dust through the now empty street as the monster traveled towards them. The smell of decay lingered with the creature as it neared closer, coming to rest only a few steps in front of the two foreigners.
"My master has used his limitless powers to conjure a spatial loop around this place," the corpse said, its dry and cracked voice echoing the sound of a thousand nightmares through their ears. "You won't leave until my master gets what he desires, the sword that can revive the dead as if they never died." It laughed, what remained of its rotten flesh falling to the ground in tattered scraps as its body shook from its own demonic joke.
"Tell your master I will tear his head from his shoulders before I let him have the Tenseiga." Sesshoumaru barked at the corpse. "He waits for you in the catacombs!" its scream vibrated horror through the air as the creature collapsed into dust before their eyes.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
Sango sat on her haunches beside where Miroku lay. His eyes flashed the shadows of death as he fought to keep them open.
"Can you tell us what happened?" Kagome asked as she looked down at the shell of a man she had known so well but could now barely recognize.
"We were attacked by Naraku." Miroku answered, his chest heaving in exertion between long, strained breaths. "Only I got away."
"Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha calmly asked.
"I'm sorry." Miroku forced himself to say as he tried not to look at the little girl that was poking her tiny head out from behind Inuyasha's baggy red pants. As young as Rin was, she knew what death meant, she knew how people could be thrust out of the world of the living, people she cared about. Tears began to swell behind her eyes as she thought about her adopted father, as she realized he would never be by her side again.
"Are you going to be ok Rin?" Kagome asked as the little girl buried her face deeper into Inuyasha's pant leg, comforted by his familiar presence, the presence of Sesshoumaru. "Come on Rin," Kagome said. "Let's go back to the inn. We should go Inuyasha."
"Alright," Inuyasha said as he felt the tears soaking through his pants and wetting his legs. "We shouldn't leave Miroku alone with Sango though."
"Look at the condition he's in," Kagome said. "He's not gonna try anything."
"You're probably right," Inuyasha agreed as he lifted Rin onto his shoulders and left the hut with Kagome and Shippo following behind."
"Sango," Miroku said when he heard Inuyasha close the door behind himself, leaving him and Sango alone.
"Yes," Sango responded in a softer than usual tone of voice.
"Could you help me drink from that cup behind you?" Miroku asked, his voice cracking from dehydration.
"Sure," Sango said as she turned around and picked up the small cup that had been filled with fresh, clean water for Miroku. When Sango had turned around to pick up the cup Miroku used what remained of his energy to lift his hand high enough to squeeze Sango's rump. With an agitated scream Sango spun around and smote Miroku across the side of the head with the cup, causing the water inside to splash out across the floor. "You can't say you didn't deserve that," Sango said as she looked down at Miroku who had stopped breathing due to the force of the blow.
Fearing that she had killed him, Sango began to panic. She had not meant to injure him, it was just part of the game they played. She quickly knelt over him and placed her lips against his. If he could not breath for himself then I will breath for him, she though. His lips were salty from the exposure to the sea but what bothered her was how cold they were, how dead he felt.
Swiftly Miroku lifted his hand behind her head, forcing her lips from escaping his as he kissed her back. Tearing her head out of Miroku's grip Sango raised her fist with the intent to smack him again, however knowing how close to death he was she steadied her hand.
Watching Sango's fist raised to strike, Miroku joked, "you can't hit me for that. You kissed me first," he reasoned. Knowing that the whole thing had all been part of Miroku's lecherous plan, Sango relinquished a small laughed.
"I'll get you something to eat." Sango calmly said as she stood up and walked out of the fishing hut, leaving a smiling Miroku lying on the floor of the room by himself. Miroku rubbed the red mark on the side of his face where Sango had struck him with the cup. His body had endured much over the past few days and was not fit enough to have easily taken that blow. Miroku lightly laughed to himself as he realized that if he were given the chance to relieve the past few moments, he wouldn't have done anything differently.
After a few minutes Sango returned, a tray of fish, vegetables and freshly brewed tea in her arms. Laying the tray beside Miroku, Sango slid her arm underneath his weakened body and raised him into a sitting position to help him eat.
"Try not to eat too fast," Sango said to Miroku as his starved body cried out at the first smell of food in days. "If you eat too fast your body won't be able to handle it after being deprived for so long." Knowing that she was right Miroku took small bites as Sango fed him with her left arm, her right being used to keep his body from falling back onto the mat.
"Thank you Sango," Miroku said as he felt his body being rejuvenated by the fresh vegetables and the fish's flesh.
"Don't worry about it," Sango said as she raised the cup of tea to Miroku's lips, small quantities of the liquid seeping out through the corners of his mouth and dripped down his chin. "Do you feel better?" Sango asked when Miroku had finished.
"Yes, very much," He replied as she laid him back down on the mat.
"Do you think you can tell me what happened to you then?" She questioned.
"Alright," he said as he looked up into Sango's concerned eyes. "We were flying over the sea towards China when we were attacked by Naraku, he came ridding on a tornado of purple miasma. It wasn't like him, he didn't use one of his complex schemes or one of his underlings. He just attacked us directly, and brutally." Miroku paused for a moment. "I remember watching Sesshoumaru's great two headed best coughing and dying from the Miasma, I remember falling with it. I remember looking up to see Sesshoumaru's sword the Tenseiga broken in half, I remember watching Sesshoumaru being cut down, and watching half of him crash into the waves beside me, then watching the other half crash down a few moments later."
"How did you manage to get away?" Sango asked, his horrified recollections transparently visible through his clear gray eyes.
"I opened the wind tunnel. When Naraku's bees forced me to close it, he had already left. Don't ask me to explain why he did what he did, I just know what happened. I spent the next four days fighting the waves and the water. If those fishermen hadn't come along when they did then I would probably be dead right now. I am forever in their debt."
"Thank you for telling me all this. I will leave you alone now, you should get some rest." Sango said as she picked up the discarded tray of food and prepared to leave.
"Wait," Miroku said. "I haven't told you everything," he continued. "I'm sorry Sango, I knew it was wrong of me to leave as soon as I saw you disappear out of my sight. I never should have left you." Sango perked her ears to better hear Miroku's words. "When I was fighting the ocean, my body wanted to give up. When there is nothing in view but the sight of you own slow death it's hard to keep your mind from wandering to a darker place, I can't tell you how many times I thought about just letting myself slip below the waves. The only thing that kept me fighting, the only thing, was the fear that I would never see you again. The fear that I would never hold you in my arms or laugh when you tell a joke, I was afraid that I would never be there when you finally decided to open up your heart to me."
"Miroku," Sango softly spoke as she studied his sincere face. "I had no idea," she continued. Her eyes shone as she let herself fall into Miroku's sweet words. She could sense his heart lay bare before her and she placed hers out to meet him, their two souls fussing to become like one.
"Sango?" Miroku softly asked. "My body is too weak to kiss you by myself, could you please help me." His words shook Sango, she knew she wanted to kiss him, but did she want to take full responsibility for it. He had fought death for four day, how could she hope to fight his charm, she thought as she looked down at his smiling face and placed her mouth against his. His lips still felt salty but this time the warmth of life had returned to him, he was alive because of her.
After Sango reluctantly managed to pull her tongue out of Miroku's mouth, savoring their lip's departure as much as she had savored their first embrace, she recollected her thoughts. "You probably need to get some rest?" She said as she tried to pull herself out of the lustful entanglement she had found herself lost in.
"I've been afraid to close my eyes for so long, afraid that the waters would take my life," Miroku said. "Could you please lay beside me, I want to know that I have made it to safety, I want to know that I have made it back to you."
Sango's hope to avoid Miroku's touch had collapsed as he spoke those words. Throwing aside all her past fears and uncertainties she let herself fall into Miroku. As she lay beside him on the mat he placed his arms around her and gently rubbed his lips against the back of her neck. "I've missed you," Sango lightly whispered as Miroku fell asleep.
Miroku awoke several times that night, his lungs frantically trying to breathe as he felt himself drowning in his own nightmare inspired perception. Each time he awoke it would startle Sango out of her own peaceful dreams. Sensing her presence and absorbing her soft words of reassurance, Miroku would manage to find the courage to let himself drift back into sleep, the taste of salty death always lingering on the tip of his tongue.
Despite being awoken frequently by Miroku's screams, Sango slept peacefully held inside his arms. Feeling his warm body close against hers she breathed in the chilled morning air, feeling at rest as the new light streamed in through cracks in the walls of the poorly built hut.
Deciding not to wake Miroku, Sango gently pulled herself out of his embrace. Feeling Sango pull away from him, Miroku slowly opened his eyes. With a soft groan of pleasure he wrapped his arms tighter around Sango and pulled her closer to himself, surprised at how much his strength had returned in such a short time.
"I hope you weren't trying to get away from me," Miroku gently whispered into Sango's ear as he pressed his lips against hers and softly kissed her. As their tongues entwined Miroku's eyes suddenly shot wide open, and he pulled his head back in revoltion from her wicked bad morning breath. "Ugh," he whined as Sango's eyes began to flare from his offense. "I didn't mean to insult you, its just, Ugh," Miroku teased.
Sango wasn't laughing as she stood up and started to walk towards the exit.
"Come on Sango," Miroku said as he lifted his much stronger body off the mat and followed after her. "I still want you beside me," He said, his boyish smile beginning to spread across the left side of his face. "What does it matter if you've got stinky breath."
Not exactly won over by his words, Sango still decided to give him another chance. "You will feel better after you get the sea salt out of your hair," She said. "I will prepare a bath for you."
"Thank you," Miroku said as he watched Sango turn and walk out the door, his eyes focused on how her butt rouse and fell with every step. He gave a small smile as she slid the door shut behind her. This time around, she was his.
When Sango had heated the bath water she called Miroku to come. "You better not mention Kagome this time," She mockingly warned as he entered the bathhouse.
"I won't," Miroku responded as he watched Sango drop her kimono to the ground and begin to tug at her combat suit. "I don't think that we should do this," Miroku said, his words catching Sango completely off guard. "I need time to myself in order to think about all that has happened these past few day, and I have a hunch that you might be too much of a distraction," he joked as he picked the kimono up off the ground and handed it back to her.
"Alright," Sango said in shock as she walked out of the bathhouse. "I'll get some food ready so you can eat when you're done."
"Thank you," Miroku said as he watched her leave.
When Sango had left, Miroku pulled off his robes and let them fall to the floor. They're going to have to be washed also, he thought as he rubbed his fingers through the salt encrusted fabric. I can't believe I asked Sango to leave, he thought to himself. But what else could I do, I can't risk her finding out this early on. His mind flashed back to the tub of steaming hot water that Sango had so graciously prepared. A smile spread across his face as he thought about how much he wanted Sango to be in that water with him. Sighing in exasperation he raised one leg over the side of the tub and climbed in. He couldn't help surrendering a soft moan of discomfort as the heated water seeped across the spider shaped burn on the small of his back.
"I hope you don't expect me to eat that!?" Miroku stepped backwards in disgust as the restaurant owner placed a freshly roasted wild foul on the table, golden butter dripping off the birds body and spreading out across the plate.
"I'm sorry," The restaurant owner apologized in shame. "I just don't know what you're making a big deal about."
"Buddhist philosophy is strongly against the eating of animal flesh," Miroku stated as he kept his distance from the bird. "Plus, it's also disgusting!" Miroku nearly vomited, "That's why we never eat meat in Japan, only plants and fish."
"I had no idea," The restaurant owner said. "I truly apologize, I can fix something else for you if you like. I already prepared a nice salad, and I could easily throw together a delicious fish and spice stew," He continued, his tone lower and more persuasive, "of course it would cost more."
"That's fine. Just get this thing off my table!" Miroku yelled as he wildly pointed at the dead bird. When the foul had been removed Miroku sat down and looked at the rest of his meal. Not knowing what to eat first Miroku dived into the bowl of delicious smelling spices. Based on their bland and inorganic taste he quickly decided that they were not part of the meal but part of the display, and not meant to be eaten. The stew that had been prepared to replace the foul was especially delicious, unlike anything back home. Miroku's favorite thing had to have been the sweet bread; wheat was a whole new taste for him. When Miroku had finished he leaned back against his chair and watched in surprise as they lay a double decker cake before his eyes.
"The cake is on the house." The restaurant owner said as he watched Miroku's mouth water when the frosting hit his tongue. "I heard about what you two did for that little girl."
"I'm surprised you heard about that," Sesshoumaru remarked as he watched Miroku shove the pastry down his throat, almost choking himself to death, twice. "That didn't happen that long ago."
"Word gets around fast in this town, I imagine everybody knows." The restaurant owner answered.
"It must feel nice to be known for doing something good for somebody else." Miroku said to Sesshoumaru, his cake having already disappeared. Sesshoumaru just shrugged and excused himself from the table. Having finished eating, Miroku paid his bill and followed after Sesshoumaru who was heading towards Jaken and the Beast they had left tied to a post.
"Lord Sesshoumaru." Jaken called out as he ran towards his master. With out so much as a glare of recognition Sesshoumaru dropped his large sack of goods into Jaken's unprepared arms. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I was so worried about you." Jaken said as he attempted to follow behind, his body wavering under the heavy load that had been so ungraciously thrust upon him.
"Hurry up Jaken." Sesshoumaru calmly ordered as he and Miroku climbed onto the back of the two-headed beast.
Once Jaken had gotten on, Sesshoumaru untied the creature and commanded it to continue the journey.
After a few short minutes of flying Miroku asked in confusion as he looked down at the desert below, "I thought there wasn't another town for days in any direction?" Miroku commented as a second fortified town came into view.
"Look more carefully," Sesshoumaru answered. "It's the same town."
"How is that possible?" Miroku asked.
"I don't know, but we should just keep flying." Sesshoumaru said. The more distance they covered however, the closer they got to that same town.
"What the hell's going on?" Miroku yelled into the air as he became fueled with frustration. Having realized they weren't getting anywhere by flying around aimlessly they decided to land again inside the walls of the town.
"Your back again." The restaurant owner called out to Miroku and Sesshoumaru as they traveled through the dusty streets of the bazaar in search of anyone who could tell them what was going on.
"We've been flying as far as we can however we keep ending up back in this same place," Miroku said to the restaurant owner. "Have you ever heard of anything like that happening?" Shocked by their story the restaurant owner searched the banks of his memory for any trace of the answer that they desired. "I've heard of people who died after wandering in the desert for days, not knowing that they were going in circles." The restaurant owner attempted to answer, "or I suppose it could have something to do with him!" he suddenly yelled out, frantically pointing behind Miroku and Sesshoumaru's heads.
Sharply turning their necks in the direction that had been indicated, they looked past the mob of fleeing and panicky merchants to spot an undead corpse slowly walk through the bazaar, the wind carrying dust through the now empty street as the monster traveled towards them. The smell of decay lingered with the creature as it neared closer, coming to rest only a few steps in front of the two foreigners.
"My master has used his limitless powers to conjure a spatial loop around this place," the corpse said, its dry and cracked voice echoing the sound of a thousand nightmares through their ears. "You won't leave until my master gets what he desires, the sword that can revive the dead as if they never died." It laughed, what remained of its rotten flesh falling to the ground in tattered scraps as its body shook from its own demonic joke.
"Tell your master I will tear his head from his shoulders before I let him have the Tenseiga." Sesshoumaru barked at the corpse. "He waits for you in the catacombs!" its scream vibrated horror through the air as the creature collapsed into dust before their eyes.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
Sango sat on her haunches beside where Miroku lay. His eyes flashed the shadows of death as he fought to keep them open.
"Can you tell us what happened?" Kagome asked as she looked down at the shell of a man she had known so well but could now barely recognize.
"We were attacked by Naraku." Miroku answered, his chest heaving in exertion between long, strained breaths. "Only I got away."
"Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha calmly asked.
"I'm sorry." Miroku forced himself to say as he tried not to look at the little girl that was poking her tiny head out from behind Inuyasha's baggy red pants. As young as Rin was, she knew what death meant, she knew how people could be thrust out of the world of the living, people she cared about. Tears began to swell behind her eyes as she thought about her adopted father, as she realized he would never be by her side again.
"Are you going to be ok Rin?" Kagome asked as the little girl buried her face deeper into Inuyasha's pant leg, comforted by his familiar presence, the presence of Sesshoumaru. "Come on Rin," Kagome said. "Let's go back to the inn. We should go Inuyasha."
"Alright," Inuyasha said as he felt the tears soaking through his pants and wetting his legs. "We shouldn't leave Miroku alone with Sango though."
"Look at the condition he's in," Kagome said. "He's not gonna try anything."
"You're probably right," Inuyasha agreed as he lifted Rin onto his shoulders and left the hut with Kagome and Shippo following behind."
"Sango," Miroku said when he heard Inuyasha close the door behind himself, leaving him and Sango alone.
"Yes," Sango responded in a softer than usual tone of voice.
"Could you help me drink from that cup behind you?" Miroku asked, his voice cracking from dehydration.
"Sure," Sango said as she turned around and picked up the small cup that had been filled with fresh, clean water for Miroku. When Sango had turned around to pick up the cup Miroku used what remained of his energy to lift his hand high enough to squeeze Sango's rump. With an agitated scream Sango spun around and smote Miroku across the side of the head with the cup, causing the water inside to splash out across the floor. "You can't say you didn't deserve that," Sango said as she looked down at Miroku who had stopped breathing due to the force of the blow.
Fearing that she had killed him, Sango began to panic. She had not meant to injure him, it was just part of the game they played. She quickly knelt over him and placed her lips against his. If he could not breath for himself then I will breath for him, she though. His lips were salty from the exposure to the sea but what bothered her was how cold they were, how dead he felt.
Swiftly Miroku lifted his hand behind her head, forcing her lips from escaping his as he kissed her back. Tearing her head out of Miroku's grip Sango raised her fist with the intent to smack him again, however knowing how close to death he was she steadied her hand.
Watching Sango's fist raised to strike, Miroku joked, "you can't hit me for that. You kissed me first," he reasoned. Knowing that the whole thing had all been part of Miroku's lecherous plan, Sango relinquished a small laughed.
"I'll get you something to eat." Sango calmly said as she stood up and walked out of the fishing hut, leaving a smiling Miroku lying on the floor of the room by himself. Miroku rubbed the red mark on the side of his face where Sango had struck him with the cup. His body had endured much over the past few days and was not fit enough to have easily taken that blow. Miroku lightly laughed to himself as he realized that if he were given the chance to relieve the past few moments, he wouldn't have done anything differently.
After a few minutes Sango returned, a tray of fish, vegetables and freshly brewed tea in her arms. Laying the tray beside Miroku, Sango slid her arm underneath his weakened body and raised him into a sitting position to help him eat.
"Try not to eat too fast," Sango said to Miroku as his starved body cried out at the first smell of food in days. "If you eat too fast your body won't be able to handle it after being deprived for so long." Knowing that she was right Miroku took small bites as Sango fed him with her left arm, her right being used to keep his body from falling back onto the mat.
"Thank you Sango," Miroku said as he felt his body being rejuvenated by the fresh vegetables and the fish's flesh.
"Don't worry about it," Sango said as she raised the cup of tea to Miroku's lips, small quantities of the liquid seeping out through the corners of his mouth and dripped down his chin. "Do you feel better?" Sango asked when Miroku had finished.
"Yes, very much," He replied as she laid him back down on the mat.
"Do you think you can tell me what happened to you then?" She questioned.
"Alright," he said as he looked up into Sango's concerned eyes. "We were flying over the sea towards China when we were attacked by Naraku, he came ridding on a tornado of purple miasma. It wasn't like him, he didn't use one of his complex schemes or one of his underlings. He just attacked us directly, and brutally." Miroku paused for a moment. "I remember watching Sesshoumaru's great two headed best coughing and dying from the Miasma, I remember falling with it. I remember looking up to see Sesshoumaru's sword the Tenseiga broken in half, I remember watching Sesshoumaru being cut down, and watching half of him crash into the waves beside me, then watching the other half crash down a few moments later."
"How did you manage to get away?" Sango asked, his horrified recollections transparently visible through his clear gray eyes.
"I opened the wind tunnel. When Naraku's bees forced me to close it, he had already left. Don't ask me to explain why he did what he did, I just know what happened. I spent the next four days fighting the waves and the water. If those fishermen hadn't come along when they did then I would probably be dead right now. I am forever in their debt."
"Thank you for telling me all this. I will leave you alone now, you should get some rest." Sango said as she picked up the discarded tray of food and prepared to leave.
"Wait," Miroku said. "I haven't told you everything," he continued. "I'm sorry Sango, I knew it was wrong of me to leave as soon as I saw you disappear out of my sight. I never should have left you." Sango perked her ears to better hear Miroku's words. "When I was fighting the ocean, my body wanted to give up. When there is nothing in view but the sight of you own slow death it's hard to keep your mind from wandering to a darker place, I can't tell you how many times I thought about just letting myself slip below the waves. The only thing that kept me fighting, the only thing, was the fear that I would never see you again. The fear that I would never hold you in my arms or laugh when you tell a joke, I was afraid that I would never be there when you finally decided to open up your heart to me."
"Miroku," Sango softly spoke as she studied his sincere face. "I had no idea," she continued. Her eyes shone as she let herself fall into Miroku's sweet words. She could sense his heart lay bare before her and she placed hers out to meet him, their two souls fussing to become like one.
"Sango?" Miroku softly asked. "My body is too weak to kiss you by myself, could you please help me." His words shook Sango, she knew she wanted to kiss him, but did she want to take full responsibility for it. He had fought death for four day, how could she hope to fight his charm, she thought as she looked down at his smiling face and placed her mouth against his. His lips still felt salty but this time the warmth of life had returned to him, he was alive because of her.
After Sango reluctantly managed to pull her tongue out of Miroku's mouth, savoring their lip's departure as much as she had savored their first embrace, she recollected her thoughts. "You probably need to get some rest?" She said as she tried to pull herself out of the lustful entanglement she had found herself lost in.
"I've been afraid to close my eyes for so long, afraid that the waters would take my life," Miroku said. "Could you please lay beside me, I want to know that I have made it to safety, I want to know that I have made it back to you."
Sango's hope to avoid Miroku's touch had collapsed as he spoke those words. Throwing aside all her past fears and uncertainties she let herself fall into Miroku. As she lay beside him on the mat he placed his arms around her and gently rubbed his lips against the back of her neck. "I've missed you," Sango lightly whispered as Miroku fell asleep.
Miroku awoke several times that night, his lungs frantically trying to breathe as he felt himself drowning in his own nightmare inspired perception. Each time he awoke it would startle Sango out of her own peaceful dreams. Sensing her presence and absorbing her soft words of reassurance, Miroku would manage to find the courage to let himself drift back into sleep, the taste of salty death always lingering on the tip of his tongue.
Despite being awoken frequently by Miroku's screams, Sango slept peacefully held inside his arms. Feeling his warm body close against hers she breathed in the chilled morning air, feeling at rest as the new light streamed in through cracks in the walls of the poorly built hut.
Deciding not to wake Miroku, Sango gently pulled herself out of his embrace. Feeling Sango pull away from him, Miroku slowly opened his eyes. With a soft groan of pleasure he wrapped his arms tighter around Sango and pulled her closer to himself, surprised at how much his strength had returned in such a short time.
"I hope you weren't trying to get away from me," Miroku gently whispered into Sango's ear as he pressed his lips against hers and softly kissed her. As their tongues entwined Miroku's eyes suddenly shot wide open, and he pulled his head back in revoltion from her wicked bad morning breath. "Ugh," he whined as Sango's eyes began to flare from his offense. "I didn't mean to insult you, its just, Ugh," Miroku teased.
Sango wasn't laughing as she stood up and started to walk towards the exit.
"Come on Sango," Miroku said as he lifted his much stronger body off the mat and followed after her. "I still want you beside me," He said, his boyish smile beginning to spread across the left side of his face. "What does it matter if you've got stinky breath."
Not exactly won over by his words, Sango still decided to give him another chance. "You will feel better after you get the sea salt out of your hair," She said. "I will prepare a bath for you."
"Thank you," Miroku said as he watched Sango turn and walk out the door, his eyes focused on how her butt rouse and fell with every step. He gave a small smile as she slid the door shut behind her. This time around, she was his.
When Sango had heated the bath water she called Miroku to come. "You better not mention Kagome this time," She mockingly warned as he entered the bathhouse.
"I won't," Miroku responded as he watched Sango drop her kimono to the ground and begin to tug at her combat suit. "I don't think that we should do this," Miroku said, his words catching Sango completely off guard. "I need time to myself in order to think about all that has happened these past few day, and I have a hunch that you might be too much of a distraction," he joked as he picked the kimono up off the ground and handed it back to her.
"Alright," Sango said in shock as she walked out of the bathhouse. "I'll get some food ready so you can eat when you're done."
"Thank you," Miroku said as he watched her leave.
When Sango had left, Miroku pulled off his robes and let them fall to the floor. They're going to have to be washed also, he thought as he rubbed his fingers through the salt encrusted fabric. I can't believe I asked Sango to leave, he thought to himself. But what else could I do, I can't risk her finding out this early on. His mind flashed back to the tub of steaming hot water that Sango had so graciously prepared. A smile spread across his face as he thought about how much he wanted Sango to be in that water with him. Sighing in exasperation he raised one leg over the side of the tub and climbed in. He couldn't help surrendering a soft moan of discomfort as the heated water seeped across the spider shaped burn on the small of his back.
