Disclaimer: It's not mine. Nothing is mine but the story's plotline.
This chapter is gonna be longer than the prior - it's twelve pages to be precise, where the prior was only five - since Inuyasha and Kikyou already knew each other and they were already in a relationship, unlike Miroku and Sango, who (as of yet) don't even know each other. Plus, ya know, this is my favorite coupling and I naturally want to write more on it then any of the others. I had expected to get this chapter out a few days ago, but it ended up being much longer than I'd first estimated, so it took me longer to produce. Also, to any reviewers of my story 'Thirteen', I'm sorry about the long wait on that. I'll get it out tomorrow or Sunday.
Curiosity getting the better of me: Does anyone know if Sango and Kohaku's father was ever given a name?
Reviews
Heart of Friendship: Arigatou, Amber. I can't wait to read your fic, as well.
burnt rice: That part will be in the last chapter. It'll probably be either nearly as long as this chapter, or as short as the last chapter. Depending on what type of mood I'm in.
Princess Kagome: Arigatou. I had wanted to get this up earlier, and I'd even wanted to write more on this couple, but couldn't as it was already a huge chapter.
Aamalie: Arigatou to you as well. I hope it's long enough for you...it certainly took me a while to write. Longer than I'd expected. Personally, I've got nothing against Houjo himself, but he doesn't seem at all like Inuyasha - he doesn't look or act even the slightest bit similar.
===
"So, this demon that haunts your village," he repeated, "possesses the ability to pass through solid objects and even make itself invisible." The other man nodded.
"It's extremely quick, as well," the older man told him. "It's almost embarrassing that even the greatest of the taijiyas can't seem to slay it." The young monk chuckled lightly.
"Don't worry, some demons are impossible to be beaten unless one holds spiritual power," he explained. "If it makes you feel better, I won't let it get out that there was a demon that your village couldn't handle alone." The older man nodded again.
"Arigatou, once again, for helping us out with this menace," he told him, "by the way, I don't believe I caught your name."
"Miroku," the monk told him. He nodded.
"Well, Miroku-san, you're welcome to stay the night in my household," the man told him.
"It would probably be better for me to leave right away," Miroku told the man, "besides I wouldn't want to be a burden on you."
"Nonsense, it would be no trouble," the man told him, "I insist you stay. I'm sure Sango and Kohaku could keep you company."
"Sango and Kohaku?" Miroku wondered, "Who would they be?"
"My daughter and young son," the man told him. Miroku's eyes seemed to light up at the mention of a female.
"Well, since you've insisted I suppose I could stay the night," he told the man. "So, tell me of your son and daughter," Miroku requested, "what of them?"
"Well, Kohaku has recently hit eleven years of age and is now allowed to slay demons with the older ones," he told Miroku, "he's a shy boy and he's slightly insecure, but he's doing extremely well for his age." Miroku feigned interest as the man talked of his son, but perked up once his daughter was mentioned. "Sango is the living image of her mother. Don't be fooled by her looks, though," he continued, "she's among our village's finest taijiyas."
"I take her beauty is stunning?" Miroku questioned. The older man grinned.
"Like I said, she's the living image of her mother," he told him, "but I'll let you be the judge of her beauty." The man led Miroku inside of his house, and the two were greeted by a young boy.
"Otousan," the boy gasped, jumping up, "you're home." The man nodded.
"You must be Kohaku," Miroku stated, extending his hand, "I've heard much about you from your father."
"Yes, I am," the boy said, shaking Miroku outstretched hand, "It's nice to meet you, Houshi-sama."
"Please, call me Miroku," he told the boy, "after all, don't you think it might be a little awkward if everyone called you 'Tajiya-san'?" Kohaku laughed lightly.
"Yeah...I guess it would," he chuckled. Kohaku's father nodded.
"Well, I have to talk with some of the villagers about problem they've been having," he told them, "Kohaku, I trust you'll see to it that Miroku-san's stay is a pleasant one." Kohaku nodded. "By the way, where is your sister?"
"Oh, nee-chan? She wanted to bathe," he explained, "She said she'd only be a moment." Miroku closed his eyes, smirking at his own thoughts of a lovely woman wet and unclothed.
===
A young woman entered the room, running her fingers through her soggy black hair. Her yukata clung tightly to her damp skin, showing off nearly all of her curves, which certainly did not go unnoticed by Miroku. "Kohaku, I -" Upon seeing Miroku, she stopped dead in her tracks. "Kohaku, who is this?" Kohaku rushed back into the room, carrying tea.
"This is Miroku-sama," Kohaku explained, "He's the monk that father hired to help us with the demon." Sango gasped, bowing her head.
"Forgive me, Houshi-sama," she said, "it was rude of me. My name is -"
"Sango," he finished, "am I correct?" She nodded, slightly confused. "You're even more beautiful than your father let on," he assured her. She blushed heavily at his comment. She had received many compliments throughout her life, but that wasn't exactly one of them.
"Arigatou gozaimasu," she told him, attempting to hide her red cheeks, "Um..."
"Anybody want tea?" Kohaku questioned. Miroku nodded, sitting down.
"Arigatou, Kohaku," he told the boy, taking the tea cup handed to him. Sango sat down next to him, taking her cup of tea from Kohaku as he sat in front of the two. A moment later Sango felt a hand caressing her bottom - giving her the strangest feeling of deja vu. She blinked a few times, then elbowed Miroku in the stomached, causing him to withdraw his hand.
"Tell me, Houshi-sama," she questioned, "do you do that to all the girls you meet - or just the 'beautiful' ones?" Kohaku, who was clueless as could be, simply shrugged it off and began playing with the cat demon next to him.
"I don't suppose there's any safe way to answer that," Miroku stated. Sango narrowed her eyes. As her father came in, Sango smiled and greeted him.
"I trust you three have been getting along well?" he questioned them. Sango nodded. "Miroku-san, once we have an idea of where the demon is located, you and a taijiya will informed of its location so that it may be exorcised," he explained. Miroku nodded.
"I understand, sir," he told him calmly.
"You'll be staying in Kohaku's room tonight," he told Miroku, "Kohaku, you'll be staying with Sango in her room. Kohaku nodded. He turned back to Miroku. "I would be careful if you get up in the middle of the night," he whispered to Miroku, "they both have habits of sleep-walking."
===
Miroku watched intently as Sango lifted her oversized boomerang over her shoulder, tossing it into the air. She caught it perfectly as if came back to her. He had to admit, despite the fact that it was an unusual weapon; it certainly seemed like an effective one. She glanced at him, sitting her Hiraikotsu down. "Do you really find it that fascinating that I'm training, Houshi-sama, or do you just like watching women in tight-fitting clothes?" she questioned. He smirked, shaking his head.
"You really like to ask me questions that have no right answer, don't you?" he asked, sitting on the porch.
"Possibly," she told him, turning away from him to watch Kohaku practice with his chain-and-sickle. When he tried to catch it after thrusting it out he missed, unintentionally flinging it backwards, landing it at Miroku's feet. Sango sighed, picking it up and walking over to Kohaku.
"I'm an accident waiting to happen..." he whined. Sango shook her head, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Kohaku, you're problem is you have a lack of confidence," she explained, "Just have a little faith in yourself and focus on your target." Sango lifted the sickle and thrust it out at the clay pot which was being used as his target, then after hitting it, pulled on the chain, catching it in her hand. "You're turn," she told him, handing it back to him. He gulped, and focusing on the next target, he thrust it out and hit it. A small smile spread across his face as he pulled back on the chain and caught it in his hand, just as Sango had done.
"I did it..." Kohaku gaped, grinning. Sango nodded.
"I told you, 'you only needed confidence'," she explained, "Just be sure not to get over confident." He nodded, thrusting the sickle out again. Sango sat down on the porch just over a meter away from Miroku, occasionally glancing over at him to check where his hands were, which had gotten Miroku's attention after a few moments.
"If you keep doing that because of earlier, I'm sorry about that," he told her, "and I promise I won't do anything like that again unless you allow it." Sango raised an eyebrow, clearly debating on whether or not she could trust him. Sango's father approached the group gesturing toward Miroku.
"The demon has been spotted," he told Miroku, "on the eastern side of the village. I'll send a taijiya with you."
"Might I make a request as to who I take?" Miroku asked him. He nodded. "I would like for Kohaku to come. I assure you that he won't be harmed, and I think he might enjoy the experience." Both Sango and Kohaku were pleasantly surprised by his request.
"I don't know..." his father began.
"Please?" Kohaku begged, "I'll be careful, and I'll do exactly as Miroku-sama says. Please, Otousan?" His father nodded.
"I suppose it can't hurt to give you some experience with demons," he told the boy. Kohaku beamed.
"Alright!" Kohaku exclaimed. Sango smiled at Kohaku.
"Don't do anything stupid," she told him, ruffling his hair. "And you," she turned towards Miroku, "if I notice so much as a scratch on my little brother, you'll regret the day you were born." Miroku took her hand into his own.
"Sango, I assure you, you're brother is perfectly safe with me," he told her. She nodded.
"I certainly hope so."
===
Kohaku lifted his weapon onto his shoulder, poised to attack. Miroku took an exorcism sutra from his sleeve looking over at Kohaku. "This is it - I can feel the demonic power in the air," he told Kohaku, "After I weaken it, you finish it off. It will be unable to go intangible or disappear." Kohaku nodded. Despite the fact that it was a very serious mission he couldn't help but grin wildly. After all, this was the first time he'd been allowed to slay a demon without his father's guidance throughout the entire time.
He watched as Miroku concentrated, attempting to pinpoint the demon. He nodded to Kohaku, and then hurled the sutra at what appeared to be an empty space. As it came in contact with an it, however, a large demon appeared. Kohaku had to admit it was the single most hideous thing he'd ever seen in his entire life. In a fit of furry it struck Miroku, knocking him backwards into a tree. "Miroku-sama...!" Kohaku exclaimed, looking back at him.
"I'm fine," Miroku told Kohaku, rubbing his shoulder, "take care of the demon." Kohaku nodded, throwing the sickle at the demon. He missed the heart by only by no more than twelve centimeters. He retracted it, yanking back on the chain. He carefully dodged the demons blows, keeping Miroku in his vision. He unsheathed his katana, hurling it at the demon deep into its stomach. As it was occupied with attempting to remove it, Kohaku threw the sickle at its chest hitting it right on its heart. The demon's lifeless corpse fell backwards, blood spilling every where. Kohaku pulled the bloodied katana from the monster and shoved it back into its scabbard, looking over at Miroku.
"You did well," Miroku told him, pushing himself upwards. Kohaku smiled broadly. Miroku cursed under his breath, rubbing his neck. Kohaku looked at him worriedly.
"Are you okay?" he asked, "That looked like it hurt." Miroku chuckled lightly and shook his head.
"I'll be okay," he told him, "it's merely a minor injury. I'm pretty sure I'll survive - it hurts a bit, but it's not a big deal." Kohaku figured it hurt a lot more than he let on, but also figured that, like he said, it was relatively minor injury and should heal in a day or so. "Just wait until your village hears that you killed the demon that even your father couldn't fight." Kohaku snickered at the thought. "I suppose that makes you the town hero," Miroku told him.
"It wasn't really a big deal," Kohaku told him, "I couldn't have managed it if you hadn't weakened it." Miroku shook his head.
"Maybe so, but you're still the one who ultimately destroyed it," Miroku told him. Kohaku grinned.
"I guess so," he whispered.
===
Sango watched intently as Kohaku explained to a group of girls about his age exactly what happened between him and the demon. She shook her head and looked back at Miroku. "I don't know what you told him," she muttered, "but you gave my shy, sweet little brother an ego."
"Every time he tells that story the demon gets bigger," Miroku chuckled, "The first time he might have been overly modest, but I think the second time was the most accurate version. Yet every time he tells it, he manages to end it modestly. He's a strange one, but he's a good kid." He rubbed his shoulder blade - the pain was close to unbearable.
"Are you alright, Houshi-sama?" she asked him, sitting down next to him. He shook his head.
"I'll be fine," he told her, "it just hurts a bit from where that demon knocked me back into a tree - ouch..." He rubbed the back of his neck in hopes that the pain would go away. Sango rolled her eyes.
"Why is it you men are always so afraid to admit when you're injured?" Sango questioned. He smirked, shaking his head.
"I'm not afraid, I just don't want to bother you with my problems," he told her. She snorted, moving behind him.
"You're not being a bother," she told him, gently massaging his shoulder, "unless you count the fact that I have you to thank for the fact that Kohaku is now going to make me listen to him tell me over and over again how he 'single-handedly destroyed the demon'." Miroku chuckled, watching Kohaku attempt to reenact how he slew the demon.
"Arigatou, Sango," he told her, "It feels much better." The pain in his shoulder seemed to melt away as she continued to knead his skin. She smiled bashfully, though he didn't notice.
"It's nothing, Houshi-sama," she told him, blushing lightly.
===
Miroku took a sip of the lukewarm tea before him, glancing over at Sango, who was entertaining a cat youkai. Her father raised an eyebrow, studying him. "You know, sir," Miroku began, "one day, I'm sure Sango will make a fine wife for some lucky man. I envy whoever that may be." He raised an eyebrow.
"Are you asking to marry my daughter or are you just trying to start a conversation?" Miroku smirked.
"Does everyone in your family enjoy asking such hard questions?" Miroku asked. Sango's father chuckled lightly.
"I'd like an answer, Miroku-san," he requested. Miroku eyed Sango longingly.
"If I were ever to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage what would you say?" Miroku asked him, turning his gaze back to his host.
"I'd say neither Sango nor I know you well enough to make that decision at the time," he told Miroku, standing up, "but if you truly wanted to marry her, you could stay here for two weeks. If I found you worthy of my daughter, you would have her in marriage - but only if that's what she wanted as well." He gazed back at Sango. He wasn't sure why, but he felt there was something special about her - something that made her different from all other women.
"You're sure that my staying here wouldn't be a burden for you?" he asked. Sango's father shook his head.
"Is that really what you're worried about," her father questioned, "or are you merely afraid of commitment?"
"I'm not afraid of commitment," Miroku assured him, "and I would like to marry your daughter, sir."
===
"Did Miroku-sama tell you?" Kohaku asked, laying his futon across from Sango's.
"Tell me what?" she asked, lying down on her stomach to face Kohaku.
"Then I take it Otousan told you," Kohaku assumed.
"Told me what?" she repeated, a bit agitated.
"So then you don't know," Kohaku stated. Sango looked at him in annoyance. "Miroku-sama asked Otousan for your hand in marriage, and Otousan said the Miroku-sama has to stay here for two weeks to make sure he can put up with you for the rest if his life. It he doesn't run off by the end of the time period you're to be wed."
"Is that what he said?" Sango grumbled. Kohaku shrugged.
"I may have paraphrased it a bit," he explained, "but, more or less, that's what they said." Sango blushed deeply at this.
"Houshi-sama...wants me as his wife...?" she questioned. The fact that any man wanted her as a wife startled her - especially someone like him. True, he did seemed interested in her, but she assumed he was merely a lecher and did the same to nearly all women he ran across. She only wondered whether or not she could trust him to be faithful to her.
"At least that's what I heard, anyway," Kohaku told her.
"So, Kohaku, tell me: Why am I the last one to know of this?" she asked him.
"I only told a few kids in the village, it's not like I told everyone -" he started.
"That's not what I meant," she began, "and why were you telling people outside of this household?! They don't need to know until the plans are final, and even then you should let me tell them!"
"I only told two other people," he told her, "Oh, and Kirara." Sango sighed deeply. She didn't know whether or not she wanted to marry Miroku - she had only known him for about a day, and through the course of the day he seemed to have many different personality traits - almost as though he were a completely different person every time she went around him.
"Kohaku," she asked, "What do you think of Houshi-sama?" He looked in her direction, laying down on his futon.
"Miroku-sama is really a nice guy," Kohaku told her, "He kind of fun to be around. I can't believe he asked Otousan for my help slaying the demon. I really think you should agree to marry him. You aren't gonna find someone much better." Sango sighed, looking at Kohaku.
"Kohaku, don't get me wrong, Houshi-sama is nice," she explained to him, "and I like him just fine, but Kohaku, I don't know yet if I love him." Kohaku looked at her sideways.
"So spend some time with him," Kohaku told her, "get to know him. You're bound to fall in love with him that way." Sango chuckled lightly at her brother's remark.
"You're pretty determined that I'm going to marry Houshi-sama, aren't you?" she asked. "Fine. If it'll make you happy I'll spend some time with him and get to know him." Kohaku grinned broadly.
"Arigatou, Sango," he told her.
===
Sango stepped outside to see Miroku, who was sitting on the porch. She wasn't really expecting him to be up so early. "I'm going for an early morning stroll," she told him, "you're welcome to join me, Houshi-sama."
"I'd be honored," he told her, bowing his head slightly. The two began walking around the twilight of the seemingly lifeless village in silence. "I take it you've heard about me asking for your hand in marriage?" he asked her, breaking the silence. Sango took a deep breath and turned to him.
"Houshi-sama, I don't want to sound rude," she began, "but why is you chose me of all women?" Miroku smiled, gazing at her. She was about as insecure as Kohaku was - just about different matters.
"Sango, you're beautiful, kind, and strong-willed, you already have plenty of experience with children - you have helped to raise your brother, and you give a great massage," he explained, "what more could I possibly desire in a wife?" She blushed deeply, barely able to speak.
"You seem to have a high opinion of me, Houshi-sama," she observed. Miroku nodded.
"And what is your opinion of me?" he asked her. She shook her head.
"I don't really know much about you, to be honest," she told him, "though, Kohaku seems assured that one way or another I'm going to accept your proposal." Miroku chuckled lightly.
"Do you want to know more about me?" he asked her. She smirked at him, pushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes.
"Do you want to tell me more about you?" Sango asked him, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't want to burden you with my problems," he told her, "but if you wish to know, I suppose I could tell you."
"I'm not marrying someone I don't know," she told him, taking him by the hand, "come with me." He nodded, following her. He found himself on the top of a hill. Sango smiled, sitting down. "We'll site and talk here," she told him, "and we can watch the sunrise." He sat down next to her, gazing upon her beauty as the sun's rays began to hit her. "I come here every morning to watch the sunrise," she told him, "it's sort of a habit. When I was younger my mother used to drag me up here every morning just so I could watch the sunrise. I hated getting up early, but seeing the beautiful sunrise made it all worth while. She died just a few years after Kohaku was born, but I still seemed to wake up just moments before the sunrise - I'd gotten used to waking up early. Ever since, I've came up here and watched the sun slowly peak up over the horizon every morning in her memory." Miroku nodded solemnly.
"The sunrise is beautiful, isn't it?" he asked himself, switching his gaze away from Sango. Finally he spoke up once again, "My mother died giving birth - I don't really know much about her, other than what little my father has told me of her."
"I'm sorry, Houshi-sama," Sango told him, "I didn't mean to bring something like that up."
"It's alright," he told her, "after all, you did bring me up here so we could get to know one another better." She nodded.
===
The first of the two weeks was over, and the second week was nearly through. Both Miroku and Sango were anticipating the day when her father would decide whether or not they would be allowed to marry - Sango was almost certain they would be, though. The two were stargazing out on the same hill they had first watched the sunrise on.
"Sango, maybe we should head back now, it's getting late," he told her, "I'm getting a bit tired." He looked over at her, and he chuckled lightly. "Looks like she read my mind." Sango had drifted into a peaceful sleep and was lying next to him in the grass. He carefully lifted her up into his arms so as not to wake her up. As he began walking her back down to the village a cold wind rushed across the two, causing Sango to instinctively snuggle closer to him.
"Houshi-sama..." she whispered in her sleep. A smile spread across Miroku's face. He could take a few guesses at what her dream was about, but he figured that they were probably all wrong since all his speculations were rather provocative - the possibility of it was still plenty enough to bring a smirk to his face. As he entered her home he noticed everyone else was already asleep. He quietly carried her into her room and laid her on her futon. He shook his head, suppressing laughter as he heard Kohaku mumbled something about 'evil pink ponies attacking'.
He was about to leave when he heard Sango speak once more, "Houshi-sama..." He sat down in front of her, watching intently to see if he could figure out what she was dreaming of. He smiled, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. As his hand trailed down her face, she caught it in her own. He gently removed his hand from hers in hopes that she would still sleep. He smiled down at her, picking himself up and heading for the door. "Houshi-sama, wait," he heard from behind him. He figured she was still talking in her sleep, but when he turned around he found himself face-to-face with her.
"Sango," he whispered, a bit startled. She smiled sleepily, placing a hand on his cheek.
"Goodnight, Houshi-sama," she told him. She leaned upwards and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Goodnight, Sango," he said, letting his lips brush against hers as he spoke. She blushed lightly as she turned and walked back to her futon. Miroku licked his lips and walked out towards the room which he was staying in.
As he lay awake, staring at the ceiling Miroku couldn't help but imagine life with Sango as being completely wonderful. Prior to knowing her he'd never really considered marriage - it seemed too final of a decision, and he had never really been the type of person to stick to one woman. Sango, though, had seemed different. She was worth the sacrifice he was making. He had sensed something vaguely familiar almost as soon as he met her, though he was sure the two of them had never met. He knew one thing was for certain, though: Sango was unlike any other woman he ever met.
===
"Kohaku, are you sure that's what happened last night?" his father asked him. Kohaku nodded. "Kohaku, I don't think there are any pink ponies here - ponies don't even come in pink."
"Well, maybe the pony part was a dream," Kohaku confessed, "but I'm sure I woke up for a second and saw nee-chan kiss Miroku-sama." His father nodded.
"Houshi-sama," Sango began, stepping in front of where Miroku sat, "I'm going to the hot springs." He began to get up, as to him it had appeared an invitation. "And this time I don't want you 'guarding me against demons while I'm vulnerable'," she told him. He chuckled nervously.
"Of course, Sango," he told her, nodding.
"Hold on, Sango," her father told her. She looked over at him as he approached her. "Miroku-san, this concerns you, as well." Miroku stood up next to Sango and Kohaku scurried over behind his father. "Now, I know it's only the twelfth day and I wasn't supposed to decide until the fifteenth day, but after having a conversation with Kohaku, I've came to a conclusion." Sango bit her lip, grabbing Miroku's hand. Her father smiled, turning to her, "Assuming it's what you want, Sango, the two of you shall be wed this evening." A grin spread from ear to ear on Sango's face.
"Domo arigatou Otousan!" she exclaimed, hugging her father, "this means a lot to me." After hugging her father she wrapped her arms around Miroku's neck, bringing her lips to meet his hard. After a few moments of watching this, Sango's father finally cut in about the time he noticed Miroku's hands exploring his daughter's body.
"Alright, that's enough," he told them sternly, "save it for tonight, okay? I'm not too interesting in my daughter loosing her virginity right in front of my eyes..."
"Otousan!" Sango exclaimed, blushing. She could hear Kohaku's snickering from behind her father. Miroku merely smirked, looking over at Sango.
"What about that hot spring?" he whispered in her ear. She chuckled, shaking her head.
"You can have your fun later this evening," she said softly into his ear, "but you heard as well as I did that Otousan isn't crazy about us coming in physical contact prior to the marriage ceremony. If you'll excuse me, though, I have to inform the few people that haven't heard from someone who heard from someone that heard from Kohaku about the marriage." Miroku nodded, removing his hands from her waist.
"Just don't go to the hot springs without me," he told her. She smiled, shaking her head.
"Don't worry, Miroku-sama, I won't," she told him. He smiled contently upon hearing her really say his name for the first time and he sat down next to Kohaku.
===
Kagome sat on her porch looking at her English homework in attempt to remember all the rules of the language - it was very complex, after all, and nearly all the American's she knew were terrible with grammar, despite English being their native language. She sighed, shutting the book. Out of nowhere a boomerang landed at her feet. She picked it up, baffled. A young girl with shining blonde hair ran up, panting.
"Gomen, I'm not very good with it yet," she explained as Kagome handed it back to the young girl. As Kagome watched her run toward a brown haired man she assumed was the girl's father, she couldn't help remember Sango, and Miroku as well.
"I wonder what happened to them..." she sighed, picking up her book and heading inside her house.
===
As you can see, at the end of each couple's section, there will be a small interlude of Kagome. Anyway, yes, this is a very long chapter, and it's 11:30 p.m. EST, which is a bit late to be writing, but I wanted to be able to watch Spider-man 2 in the theater tomorrow without feeling guilty about this not being done.