Tailz: Back again, folks! It never ceases to amaze me how many people comment on Not Too Late... ::Dreamy sigh:: It is...my little dream fulfilled!
Sanji: ........
Aww Track: AWWWW!
Tailz: ::Shirley Temple smile::
Aww Track: AWWWW!
Tailz: Anyway, thanks soooo much for everything...yes, I know the chapters are short, and I'm sorry, but I just....writing long chapters is sort of a struggle for me. I'm working on it, of course, but it's just easier to update quick with a short chapter than wait with a longer....but I'll try. On we go!
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"Houshi-sama?" There was a soft tug on his sleeve.
Miroku smiled benignly at the little raven-haired girl, one of several village children that had been following him like a bunch of puppies since his arrival in the village. Their expressions, even, reminded him of puppies—puppies that were begging for food from the table. Their eyes were large and innocent, their expressions doleful, and their voices hushed, as if they daren't raise their voices above a murmur.
He waited as she climbed timidly into his lap, and the others crowded closer, sitting about him in a tight circle. The little girls were making daisy crowns, and the boys were pulling grass from the ground—all of them avoided his eyes, even the one that had presently addressed him. "Yes, little one?"
"Um...Houshi-sama....what's a lecher?"
Miroku face faulted. "Where did you hear such a word?" he asked eventually, looking at the girl who was giving him a look of pure innocence. Clearly, she had no idea of what the word was, let alone any intention to accuse him of being one. That was more of Sango's cup of tea, anyway. Not too many people were willing to call him a lecher, besides his friends, even if he was one. Perhaps they feared the wrath of karma after insulting a monk.
"Lady Sango said you are one," the girl said, looking suddenly apprehensive. "Is that a bad thing? What is it, anyway?"
"Yeah," another added, "what is it, anyway?" Soon the little wooded clearing was full of the sounds of the children all inquiring at once.
A blush fluttered across the Miroku's face, and he looked a little flustered. How in the world could he explain it in a way that would be appropriate for children? He certainly couldn't tell them that he put his hands in inappropriate places, or had dishonorable thoughts about almost every woman he saw. Nor could he explain to them Sango's reasoning, of how she had witnessed him ask countless strangers if they would bear his child. Those stories would confuse them, if not scare them. He didn't want to have the children second-guessing his intentions, too. Sango and Inuyasha were enough! So, instead, he stuttered intelligently, before stammering hurriedly, "Oh, look at the time, my children! It's almost sunset! Come, we must get back to the village before we worry everyone. Your mothers will be furious with me if I bring you home late." He carefully lifted all the ones in his lap onto their own feet before standing and heading back in the direction of the village.
Again, there was a tug on Miroku's sleeve. He glanced down to see a different child this time.
"Yes?"
"Houshi-sama, where do babies come from?"
Miroku could hardly believe his luck. He had unknowingly picked all the most curious children Kaede's village could offer and brought them on a field trip at once. Actually, truth be told, he hadn't picked them, or even invited them—he'd been planning on a nice, quiet day spent meditating. But somehow, the information that he was going on a short trip leaked out, and the children had wanted to come along. He hadn't had the heart to tell them no, so they had come. However, this didn't help him now, as he searched his mind for an appropriate answer, trying to ignore the rather inappropriate images that flashed through his mind.
"Well, um, you see..." He cleared his throat. "Babies, well...they come from..."
"Well?" The little boy asked impatiently, and Miroku desperately tried to think of something. This shouldn't be so hard, he thought ironically, for someone who asked nearly every female he met to bear his child!
"Babies come from demons," he blurted, and the children's eyes widened simultaneously.
"Really?" They chorused, sounding amazed, glancing to one another disbelievingly.
"Yes, um...when a man and a lady decide they want a child, they...er...they ask the nice Baby Demon to give them one," Miroku invented, feeling increasingly stupid by the moment, not to mention uncreative. "But, er...please don't mention this to your parents," he said hurriedly, trying to save himself what would be terrible humiliation and tons of laughing later, "because they want it to stay a secret, okay?"
"Okay," the boy said, and then everything was silent. Miroku was sure he had never welcomed silence so much before, save after one of Inuyasha and Kagome's arguments. At that thought, the smile faded from Miroku's face, and a sad sparkle lit in his eyes. His heart ached for his friends—for poor Inuyasha, who hadn't left her bedside in nearly three weeks, hardly even eating, and for Kagome-sama, who was fighting for her life at that very moment. Shippo had reported a few days back that Inuyasha had even been holding her, trying to warm her with his own body heat. The story would've been more touching if it weren't so sad. It meant that she was going downhill by the moment. If her body temperature was decreasing, it meant that she was struggling even harder than before. Ever since that incident, Shippo had been disappearing every afternoon like clockwork. Sango had assured him that it was nothing dangerous and refused to tell him what it was, insisting she didn't know for sure—but her dark eyes had told him she knew more than she was telling. He didn't ask.
Surely, Kagome would pull through. He kept reminding himself to be cheerful, to keep up hope—but it was becoming harder with each passing day. Even though he was ashamed of it, this whole ordeal made him rather afraid—for himself, and for everyone. He knew the day of his death by the kazaana was coming steadily closer, and he couldn't help but wonder. Would he know days, even weeks before it happened? Would his death be slow and agonizing for everyone, as Kagome's ordeal had been? Would the end come suddenly, too quick for him to even have the chance to say goodbye?
"Houshi-sama?" The whispery, nasally voice interrupted his train of thought, reminding him that the children were still there, walking alongside him.
"Yes?" His tone was absent, and the boy looked worried.
"Houshi-sama, why are you crying?"
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The whole lot of them arrived back in the village just after sunset. They were met at the boundaries of the forest by a crowd of worried mothers, who quickly pounced upon their children and made comments of relief, of how glad they were that they were all okay. Perhaps, if he hadn't looked so downtrodden, they would've scolded Miroku for bringing them home so late...but the tired look in his usually bright eyes caused the reprimands to die in their throats. Instead, they offered him a polite thank you for entertaining their children for the day and went home to put the little ones to bed.
Relieved of charges, Miroku was free to wander back into the dark forest. Absently, he followed no particular trail, simply strolling in any and every direction. He was vaguely aware of the stars shining prettily above, cheerful despite all the terrible things that happened in the world below. I should be cheerful, too, Miroku told himself halfheartedly, not feeling at all any drive to mask his feelings. No one was around to see his façade anyway. He was alone, for the moment.
It was usually only in his darkest moments that Miroku's thoughts wandered to his father, but that was precisely what happened. As he waded among the alternately dark and smoky shadows of the forest, he pictured his father's face, and found, with a twinge of shame, that he barely could remember it any more. He had been but a young boy when his father had died, leaving him alone with the old priest, Mushiin (sp?). In moments like this, he couldn't help but he bear to leave a child like that? No, he decided; it would be better not to have a child at all, then to die and leave it like that. That was no way to grow up, and there was no way he would be willing to give his sad childhood to another.
So...even if one of the women did agree to bear his child, he wouldn't be able to do it, truly. Sango would be proud of him for thinking so.
"Houshi-sama?"
Speak of the angel. Sango stood behind him, having just emerged from the trees off to the left. She looked curious, and slightly annoyed, but beautiful in the moonlight. She always looked beautiful, he thought wistfully, looking away. She would always be the beautiful, fiery, kindhearted woman that he loved. She had promised herself to him some time back, promised him a future beyond the quest...but what if he didn't have a future? Would she stay alone forever, in his memory? It was too much for him to bare. Sango deserved to be happy, at the side of someone much more stable than he. He could promise her nothing, not even tomorrow.
"Miroku? Is something wrong?" He met her gaze with his own. She looked worried. "One of the wives said you looked upset." Miroku gave her an apologetic smile.
"I thank you for seeking me out, Sango, but it's nothing. Really." Lying was a sin, he knew, but he couldn't bare to tell her the truth—that he was scared, truly scared, and apprehensive. Destiny refused to be deterred, he knew, and trying to avoid it would bring nothing but sorrow...he must embrace his destiny, however gloomy it was. But still...it seemed so hopeless sometimes. He always managed to look benign, keeping a cheerful disposition for all the world to see. But that was a lie. Miroku was human. He had doubts, like everyone else. He had fears, like everyone else.
"Miroku? Please tell me the truth." He looked up to find Sango approaching hesitantly, now barely a foot away. Half a foot. "What's bothering you? I...I'd like to help you." She felt the same way as the day she had pleaded with Kagome to tell her. Sango bit her lip. Would this end up the same? Would she be unable to provide any assistance for him, as she hadn't been able to for Kagome? Miroku noticed her change in expression, and stepped closer, bringing his face just a few inches from hers. He peered kindly into her dark eyes, as if staring into her soul. Sango felt a blush creep onto her cheeks.
"You look upset," he remarked softly, and Sango couldn't help but feel warm inside, even though he was avoiding the question. Why did he always put other people first?
"We're all upset," she muttered, evasive, feeling somehow vulnerable underneath those all-seeing, concerned eyes. Desperate to break the silence, she hurried to speak. "Sh-shippo wouldn't eat anything today, and...and you...." She forced herself to look up, hating herself for blushing, and made her voice sound stern. "And you're upset too, but you won't admit it to anyone." Miroku made no attempt to tell her she was wrong, but just stared, preoccupied, into her face.
"You're right," he sighed at last in surrender, rubbing the back of his head with a hand awkwardly. "You're right, Sango. But please don't worry. It's really nothing important." She seemed unconvinced, so he continued to say with an attempted smile, "Just a silly priest's musings, is all. Really."
"Is there anything I can do?" Sango asked, the flush finally fading from her face, to be replaced with a slightly awkward expression.
Miroku smiled. He took her hand and led her with him, just down the path, until the trees opened up to the hilly clearing he had led the children to that morning. Gently, he pulled her down to sit next to him, on the soft grass. "Just sit with me," he answered softly, and together they glanced skyward, watching a single shooting star flick past.
Back at the village, Shippo saw the same shooting star. "Please let Kagome get better," he murmured to the star, before rushing back towards the sickhouse to tell Inuyasha goodnight. ---
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Tailz: There! It IS longer! SEE? Aren't you proud of me? Those poems did the trick for now—I kicked my writer's block!!!!!!
Sanji: ZZzzzzZZZzzzzz....
Tailz: ....Sanji? ....Awww, poor itoshi's tired! He's been putting up with me between every update, you know. ::Makes hushing motion to the reader:: ::Whispers:: Okay, guys, thanks for reading! See you soon!