Hello again! I think it's about time I posted this chapter, right? Sorry if I was a little slow! This weekend I really didn't get on the computer too much so I really didn't get to work on this chapter! It's much shorter than the first chapter, but then again all of my chapters won't be as long as that! I'm sure that other chapters might be around the same length as that first one. But thank you for all of your wonderful reviews! I was so happy that I got positive feedback! My responses to the reviews are at the end of the chapter so you can all look forward to that when you're done reading! And to all of you who read but didn't review : Thank you so much for reading! It makes me feel great when people take time out of their days to read something I wrote! Now, I'll stop talking and I let you all enjoy this chapter!
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So Close, Yet So Far Away by The Wishful Thinker
Chapter Two – Trouble Sleeping
I'm having trouble sleeping
You're jumping in my bed
Twisting in my head
Leave me
I'm having trouble breathing
You're sitting on my chest
I sure could use the rest
Leave me
It's you
Why's it always you and never me?
I've never dared to let my feelings free
Why's it always you and never me?
I've never cared too much about honesty
I'm having trouble sleeping
I'm thinking of what you said
About the tears been shed
Leave me
It's you
Why's it always you and never me?
I've never dared to let my feelings free
Why's it always you and never me?
I've never cared too much about honesty
It's you
Now and always you but never me
I've never dared to let my feelings free
Why's it always you and never me?
I've never cared too much about honesty
Trouble Sleeping – The Perishers
Sango lay on her futon, her eyes wide open. She listened intently to the slow breathing of the person just a few feet away from her, the breathing of the houshi Miroku.
It was a few hours since the battle against the lizard-youkai had taken place. Sango's ankle still ached with pain but had been taken care of by a villager when the group returned to the village after their fight was over.
Inuyasha and Sango had entered the village first, each of Miroku's arms draped over their shoulders and necks. Tears still streamed down Sango's face but she kept her sobbing to herself. She didn't want Inuyasha and Kagome to know that she was crying for Miroku.
If only he hadn't pushed her out of the way.
Why couldn't it be her who was being dragged back to the village instead?
No! Don't think like that! Sango screamed in her head. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook the thought out of her mind.
"Is his breathing okay?" Kagome asked quietly from behind. Kagome's question brought Sango back to reality and out of her thoughts.
"I don't know. His chest is rising so I guess it's okay," Inuyasha responded. He shifted Miroku's arm on his neck, for it slowly began to slide off. "Shit, I didn't know Miroku was so damn heavy!"
Now they were in the village. It was quiet and empty, making the community appear as if it were deserted.
"Everyone must be inside their huts," Kagome suggested. "But they must've been able to hear the youkai from here. It was pretty loud. And if they were able to hear it, then they would know that we killed it, right?"
No one replied to Kagome's suggested but instead kept walking to the end of the village where their destination, the Karasuma residence, was located.
And there was not one trace of a villager anywhere.
As Inuyasha, Sango and Kagome continued walking, along with Miroku being carried, the Karasuma hut came into view in the distance. In front of the hut there seemed to be a large group of people standing together.
"What's that about?" Inuyasha mumbled to himself. "Is there a riot or something?"
"It could be they need Masuyuki-san for something, or they want to see how Tokiwa-san is doing," Kagome said. "I'm pretty sure they all were here when Shippo and Kirara came back."
Sango stayed quiet. There was a lump in her throat that she couldn't quite get rid of.
The group neared the hut and could hear the villagers talking. Shippo's head was barely visible amongst them all.
"Kagome!" he called once he spotted his friends over the heads of the villagers. "You guys made it out okay!"
They were clearly not close enough for Shippo to see Miroku's condition, Sango's now swelled ankle or Inuyasha's and Kagome's ripped clothing and bruised faces.
Villagers started running over to them, welcoming everyone back from their battle. They congratulated them and offered food and shelter, not even noticing their wounds or even Miroku.
Until one little girl pointed him out.
"Is Houshi-sama sleeping?" she asked quizzically, biting on her fingernails.
"Oh my, what happened to him?" a woman inquired. She rushed over to the houshi and knelt down before him, carefully inspecting him.
Sango finally got rid of that lump.
"The youkai fell and he couldn't get out of the way," she told the woman quietly. "The youkai's claw got embedded in his back. He's barely conscious though …"
"And what happened to you?" a man asked, addressing Sango's puffy ankle. He stood next to the woman.
"Oh, it's nothing. I –"
"Taijiya-san, come with us," the woman offered. "You and Houshi-sama, all of you, you need medical attention. We can help you. My husband and I are experienced with medicine."
The woman stood up and gently placed a hand on Sango's arm leading her, Inuyasha and Kagome, along with the scarcely mindful Miroku, to the hut where she and her husband took residence. Her husband followed them.
The hut they were all led to was adjacent to the Karasuma hut.
The woman lifted up a cloth that seemed to be the door to the hut which covered the entrance. She led everyone inside.
Inside the hut was simple : two futons, medicines, bandages and a plant here and there.
"Here, lay Houshi-sama on the futon," said the woman, sliding the futon closer to Sango and Inuyasha.
Inuyasha and Sango gently lay Miroku on the futon. Miroku slightly flinched once he was set on his back.
"Heh, I don't need people to take care of my wounds," Inuyasha confirmed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm goin' outside."
And without protest from anyone Inuyasha left the hut.
"Now, Taijiya-san," the women started after a few minutes of silence. "Please, sit down and I will tend to your ankle. My husband will take care of Houshi-sama."
She then turned to Kagome.
"If you would like," she told her. "You can take a bath out in the back to freshen up. If you spot any bruises or wounds you can always come inside and I'll take care of them."
"Oh, thank you very much," Kagome said appreciatively while bowing. Before going outside to her bath she knelt beside the man who was taking care of Miroku.
"Will Miroku-sama be alright?" she asked softly.
"His back seems badly wounded," the man answered. "I'll need quite a few bandages to keep him from losing anymore blood, but with a few days rest he'll be fine."
With a faint smile Kagome stood up and quietly walked out of the hut. She met with Shippo, who was running in her direction.
"Kagome!" he called. "What happened? How come you all went to that hut instead?"
Kagome knelt down until she was eyelevel with Shippo. "It's Miroku-sama … He got badly injured while we were fighting. And Sango-chan … Her ankle seems to be sprained."
"That's awful!" Shippo gasped. "Are they gonna be okay?"
Kagome nodded.
"Sango-chan will be alright, her ankle only needs bandaging. But Miroku-sama's wounds may take a few days to heal. We might be here longer than we thought."
"I don't think Inuyasha's gonna like that …"
"I know, but he'll have to accept it. We can't travel without Miroku-sama and Sango-chan … But how is Tokiwa-san doing? Is she still unconscious?"
"She's okay now!" Shippo said with relief. "But Masuyuki-san was so scared! He almost had a heart attack when he saw what happened to her!"
"She's okay then? Oh, that's good to hear Shippo! Today's been so chaotic! I'm going to take a bath now to freshen up. I kind of fell in the mud earlier …"
Shippo lightly chuckled. "Okay! I'll go see Miroku and Sango then! But where's Inuyasha?"
"I don't know," Kagome said honestly. "He left the hut, but he didn't say where he was going. He'll turn up soon, I guess."
Kagome and Shippo then parted.
And so Shippo paid a visit to Sango and Miroku. Sango was having her ankle tended to by the woman while Miroku lay on his stomach, still unconscious, as the woman's husband tenderly aided Miroku's wounded back with his large hands.
Sango's ankle was wrapped snugly with a long bandage. Once the woman was done Sango carefully inspected the purple color that was seen through the white dressing.
"You and your companions, you are all staying at the Karasuma house tonight, is that right?" the woman asked.
Nodding in response, Sango quickly stole a glance of Miroku over the woman's shoulder. She felt a knife stab her heart.
"Y-Yes. Houshi-sama, our friends and I were welcomed to spend the night there."
"Alright then," the woman said as she stood up and headed out of the hut. "We'll get you both there by nightfall. I would invite you both to stay here, but I'm afraid there just isn't enough room for four people here."
"They could sleep here for the night and we can stay with Mitsuko-chan," the man suggested to his wife. "Taijiya-san and Houshi-sama need to rest; I really don't think it's necessary to bring them to Karasuma-san's home."
"We can't just invite ourselves to Mitsuko-chan's home," the woman said. "That would be –"
"Ema-chan, I'm sure she won't mind."
Ema sighed and still looked unconvinced. She looked around the hut, biting her lip, and then nodded after a long pause. "Alright," she finally said. "I'll go ask her."
With a smile on his face, Ema's husband watched his wife walk out of the hut.
At the Karasuma hut, Tokiwa lay beside her father on a separate futon. She had gained consciousness just a half hour ago. A cold, wet cloth sat on her forehead.
"Otou-san," Tokiwa started with a weak voice. "I apologize for never getting you your water."
With a cough, Masuyuki sat up. He faced her daughter with a light smile on his face. He brushed her bangs away from her face.
"It's alright daughter," he said forgivingly. "That doesn't matter right now. What's important is that you're safe, thanks to those travelers."
"Houshi-sama, he's such a wonderful man," Tokiwa whispered. "I would like it if I would be able to marry a man like him."
Masuyuki's eyes widened as he heard his daughter speak of a man she had barely even known.
"But you're to be married to Juichi-san after I pass on," Masuyuki said to Tokiwa.
"Oh, but Otou-san! Houshi-sama treated me like I was the most beautiful woman he's even seen," Tokiwa insisted as she held her hands to her heart. "I don't feel that way with Juichi-san …"
"Tokiwa-chan," Masuyuki addressed his daughter sternly. "You don't know him that well. And Juichi-san seems very pleased about you being his future bride."
"Juichi-san has never kissed my hand before, Otou-san! Nor has he ever looked at me with such longing, beautiful eyes! Houshi-sama made me feel wonderful earlier today. Please Otou-san … Would you please ask him to stay here and ask for him to marry me?"
Masuyuki took one long, hard look at Tokiwa. Her eyes lit with admiration for the houshi she spoke of. There was also a little bit of hope, hope that Masuyuki would say yes to her request.
"I hope you do know that he may decline. It appears that Houshi-sama and his companions plan to stay here only for one night, and they are in search for something so he may decline for that reason."
Tokiwa paused, for she put her father's words to thought.
"I understand," she said flatly. "But I still would like it if you asked him. Please Otou-san … It would make me so happy."
Tokiwa looked up at her father and he could see the tears that had formed in her eyes. It was like she had fallen in love with the houshi at first sight.
Masuyuki gently pressed his lips on his daughter's forehead. He nodded.
"Alright then," he said. "As you wish, I will ask Houshi-sama if he would accept your hand in marriage."
The village leader felt his throat tighten when he said those words. He did not feel right asking another man to marry his daughter.
But if it is what she wants …
"Oh, thank you Otou-san!" Tokiwa cried as she gingerly threw her arms about her father's neck. She dug her face in his shoulder.
"I love you, Otou-san," she whispered.
Masuyuki had never thought he would hear those words from his daughter.
A tear streamed down his face.
Back where Miroku and Sango were, Ema and her husband had received approval from their friend to spend the night there. Once Kagome had finished bathing out in the back, Sango told her about the new sleeping arrangements.
"So it'll just be you and Miroku-sama here tonight?" Kagome said, her eyes wide.
Sango nodded.
"Just me and Houshi-sama."
"Wow, this is so romantic!" Kagome exclaimed. "Just the two of you in a nice cozy hut with the moonlight leaking in! Oh … but what if he tries something?"
"He is injured you know," Sango said nervously at the thought. "Knowing him though …"
Kagome laughed.
"I was just kidding! I don't think Miroku-sama would disrespect you like that!"
Sango and Kagome both turned toward the sleeping Miroku then back at each other.
"Just in case," Kagome started. "You should be cautious."
"How far apart should the futons be spread?" Sango asked.
"About five feet would be good."
Kagome stood up and dragged Sango's futon a few feet away from Miroku's.
"Is that good enough?" Kagome asked as she sat down beside Sango. "Do you think he would crawl off the futon?"
Sango managed to laugh.
"I don't think he would do that."
Now the two girls sat in silence and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of Miroku's breathing.
Before they knew it, the girls saw that it had grown dark outside. Shippo had now stopped by in search of Kagome and learned the new sleeping arrangements. Inuyasha was just outside.
"If you want to come by Tokiwa-san's home to sleep instead …" Shippo told Sango.
"I'll be fine here with Houshi-sama," Sango said to Shippo with a smile.
The miko and the kitsune bade their farewells to the taijiya an hour after nightfall.
Sango suddenly found it extremely lonely inside the hut.
Crawling onto her futon Sango decided it was time to get some sleep. After all, the battle had knocked the wind out of her earlier. Her ankle was also stinging.
As she lay down on her back Sango stared up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes, relieved that she could finally get some sleep, until Miroku's face began to flood through her mind.
Sango turned over on her stomach and dug her face into her pillow. She had thought doing this would make all of the images in her head fuzzy but it had no effect.
"Damn you, Houshi-sama!" Sango spat under her breath. She turned over onto her back, wiping newly developed sweat from her forehead.
Now it felt as if there was someone laying directly next to Sango. When she closed her eyes she imagined that Miroku was laying on her futon with her.
"Get off of my futon!" Sango squeaked and she squirmed on her futon to shake the houshi off. When she opened her eyes she found that he had never moved from his spot next to her.
Was she actually guilty of Miroku saving her?
But why! Why did he risk his life for her?
"Sango ... You know I would die for you."
What's that supposed to mean?
Was he … Was he trying to tell me something?
Is that another way of saying ... He loves me?
Sango turned to her side and watched Miroku sleep.
What about his groping? Sure, if he loved me he wouldn't disrespect me like that. And flirting with other women … Why would he do that?
And how come he's never asked me to bear his child!
Sango felt her heart skip a beat for one slight moment.
Do I want him to ask me that?
"Stop it, right now," Sango demanded herself. "Stop thinking about him!"
Her demand was almost loud enough to wake up the neighboring hut but not even Miroku stirred beside her.
Sango eventually calmed down. That was until she felt it hard to breathe.
It felt as if there was a heavy weight on her chest, right in the middle. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to rid this weight, but things only got worse.
Miroku was that heavy weight.
Sango's eyes shot open and suddenly Miroku was back on his own futon. It was still hard to breathe, but Sango came to realize that it was her own conscious that was sitting on her chest.
She was guilty.
And she knew it.
This was ridiculous. Sango turned onto her side, facing the wall, trying to forget about this all.
"Sango ... You know I would die for you."
Stop …
" … I would die for you."
… Please …
" … I would die for you."
… Don't say it …
" … I. Would. Die. For. You."
"Leave me the hell alone!" Sango shouted. She had shouted loud enough this time for almost the whole village to hear her.
Miroku stirred on his futon. He let out a yawn and soon he resumed back to sleeping.
It was relieving to hear that sound, the sound of Miroku yawning.
Sango turned over onto her other side, now looking at Miroku in his sleeping form.
How do I really feel about you?
What are these feelings … These feelings so unknown to me?
Sometimes I think I hate you, sometimes I think I like you as a friend, but at times like these … At times like these I come to think that maybe my feelings for you are stronger than I thought.
But how do you feel about me?
Thinking of all this began to make Sango more exhausted than she already was. But, it helped her realize her feelings for Miroku.
What are these feelings, though?
As she thought, slumber began to take over the taijiya. Soon her thoughts, her head, everything was all fuzzy and her vision became blurry.
It was about time she started falling asleep.
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Did I do okay with capturing Sango-chan's feelings? Sango-chan is a very complicated character sometimes when you think about it! I can imagine she see-saws back and forth when it comes to her feelings for Houshi-sama, but I hope I did good! This time there are really no new Japanese words so there will be no need for my Japanese lesson! Once again, thank you so much for reading! Now I would like to thank the reviewers for the last chapter!
The Wishful Thinker's Review Responses (reviews are in the order in which I received them)
Daisuke-n-Dark : I love your pen name! Inuyasha-sama can be pretty hard to do sometimes, but I guess I managed! Thank you! And you made my heart skip a beat when you said I did Houshi-sama perfectly. He's probably the hardest character for me to do! They way he talks so poetically sometimes! That really made my day! And yes, Masuyuki-san got a little personal with everyone. But then again, he's elderly. My grandmother does it all the time! I actually used my own relationship with my father there. But my mother never passed away, she was just in the hospital for a long time and that helped me grow a little closer to him. But overall, thank you for the wonderfully long review! It made me feel great getting a review like that!
The Only Way Out : Thank you! I understand that, my friend even said that. I guess I have to work on that a little more! Thank you for pointing it out!
Rivertam : Thank you! I'll try to update as quickly as possible!
Exploding-Chocobo : Rei-chan! I love your pen name! And thank you! Your story is great! I can't wait until you update!
Lily the Frog Princess : I can't say my two characters affect the plot at all, but whenever Inuyasha-sama and the gang go to villages they always meet someone new and everything. And thank you! I feel as if no Inuyasha story is complete without a battle scene! And I'm glad you liked the way it was done! I thought I would be horrible at writing it but I'm actually satisfied!
Yurikitsune : Thank you!
See you all soon!
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Next Chapter : As You Sleep – Something Corporate
Miroku overcomes his pain to see Sango after he sacrificed his life for her.