Ladie shinomori- Yup, I'm sure everyone's pretty sure how much I adore the monk by now! FAGOME as you call her is classic moment-wrecker. I'm going to get rid of her for a while. I can barely write romance thinking she's around somewhere. Her presence is…disturbing. Thanks for your review! And I don't mind long reviews, in fact I love them! So continue writing them!
Miroku's Priestess- Oops! OOC? Will have to make sure that doesn't happen again! I just checked out the Miroku/Sango section, and I am appalled. Only THIRTY-THREE pages? Against 295 for Kagome/Inuyasha? What the hell…? Okay, before I get carried away, thanks for writing in! It means a lot to me that someone who doesn't really like this couple actually likes my story!
Lord of Swords and Waffles- When are you updating 'Come'? It sounds really interesting; you seem to have taken your own advice there (Sango and Inuyasha stealing glances at each other while fighting). It works!
Miko-of-Jades- Hehe. Another thing I stole (from Wheel of Time). Rand thinks that about Egwene: 'Light, but a man could drown in those eyes, and be happy doing it.' I modified it, here Inuyasha doesn't think he's drowning and he's definitely not happy doing it, but still…. Thanks for reviewing!
Hanyou 2 Youkai- Hmm, not everyone loves Lanfear. I know quite a few people who hate her. A lot of them like Mat though. I like him too. He's definitely the funniest character in the series, and lightens an otherwise almost completely dark story.
Darkprincess- I was wondering where you had gone! Busy with school? Aw, I can sympathize. Well, I'm not busy NOW, but I still know what it feels like (doesn't everyone?). Is this update soon enough for you? Hope so!
Wicked Schmoness- Another Kagome loather? YES! There seem to be quite a few out there…makes me feel less alone in the world.
Koga's chick- I like Miroku. Actually adore him. He rules! So you can expect a lot of him in my stories. I may be doing a sequel as I stated before- about Miroku. It won't be a romance, more like adventure. A quest kind of, I guess. He'll have some strange teammates then!
Atropa13, tinemelk, youkosangohiei, dudei'mlikesobus- Thanks for writing in! Please continue to do so!
Do I need to tell you there's more Miroku coming up? I don't think so. . LOL.
A gentle breeze tugged at the branches of the cherry blossom. Twirling gracefully, a single flower fell from its home, landing silently in the slayer's cupped hands. Lifting it, Sango inhaled its lovely scent. A smile broke out on her face, and she laughed as she threw it into the air, letting the wind have its way with the flower once more.
Miroku watched with a smile, then leaned his head against the tree's trunk and closed his eyes. The group was taking a break from their shard hunting, waiting for Kagome to come back from her time. She had gone back for something called 'exams' in her school. None of the group really understood what these strange things were, but whenever they asked her to explain, she hinted darkly that they were much better off not knowing.
The wind picked up, blowing more blossoms down, until a rain of pink petals seemed to be cascading around Sango. She threw her arms wide and spun around, laughing. She felt like a little girl again.
When the breeze finally slackened, and the shower ceased, Sango made her way over to the monk. She plopped down on the grass next to him, and cupping her chin in her hands, stared at the flower-strewn grass. Then she turned her brown eyes to Miroku, who had still not opened his.
"Hey, Miroku?"
Eyelids rising, the Houshi turned his violet gaze towards her. Smiling, he asked "What is it Sango?"
"When do you think Kagome will be back?"
"I think she said, about ten days."
"Ten days? That's long." Biting her lower lip, Sango stared once more at the grass.
"Maybe you should talk to Inuyasha."
Sango's head whipped around and she stared at the monk incredulously. "What?"
He nodded, and repeated, "You should talk to Inuyasha."
"About what?"
Laughing softly, Miroku threw an arm around her shoulders. "You know about what."
Blushing, Sango looked down at her hands. "But I don't want to." She whispered.
That was the truth. She didn't want to tell him how she felt. True, he did care about her, but only as a friend. She didn't think she could bear hearing him say that he didn't love her. This was not that first time Miroku had told her to talk to him, more like the tenth. And Inuyasha still hadn't asked her those questions again, hadn't 'collected his due' as Miroku put it. Of course, they had been busy with more demons and a few tiny shards, but he had still had opportunities, as she saw it. Maybe he just wasn't interested. That was strangely relieving, yet disappointing at the same time.
"You have to," Miroku's voice was gentle, as though he was urging a baby to walk for the first time. "Don't you understand that Sango? Unless you tell him how you feel, you'll be stuck in this rut forever. You'll never know how he feels. You'll always have this doubt gnawing away inside you, and it may just consume you one day."
"Doubt?" Sango's eyes blazed and she pulled away from the monk. Standing over him, she continued, her voice hard. "Doubt? I have no doubts Miroku! I know for a fact that he loves Kagome! Has he sat with us even once since Kagome went back?" Miroku opened his mouth to say something, but she overrode him. "Do you not see the way he paces around the well all day? The way he snaps at us for the tiniest things? Do you not understand the reason behind all this? I'll explain it to you- HE LOVES HER!"
Sango crossed her arms and looked away, in the direction she knew the Bone Eater's Well to be. No doubt he would be there as she said, peering into the stupid well, waiting for the miko to pop out.It wasn't that she had anything against the schoolgirl- she just wished that Inuyasha would pay her the same attentions he paid her, except for all the fighting of course. That was very childish in her opinion.
"But Sango, the key thing there is that he hasn't said anything to her."
"He doesn't have to Miroku. They both know it."
Miroku caught a cherry blossom, and rolled it across his fingers as he spoke. "Do they, Sango? I'm not so sure." He stood up and placed the blossom tenderly behind her ear. "Talk to him." He said again.
Sango's shoulders slumped, and she turned around to look up into Miroku's face. "What would I say?"
"What would you say to what?"
Sango and Miroku jumped at the sound of that voice. Inuyasha stood there, his hair blowing about his face. He smirked at their twin expressions of complete shock. "Obviously your senses are dulling. I made one hell of a noise getting here, to warn you in case you were in the middle of something romantic. I guess you were too busy." His eyes settled on Sango. "You. I want to talk to you. Come with me." He turned around and walked off.
Panic flashed across her face for a brief moment. She looked at Miroku helplessly, what would she say? Miroku shook his head and gestured in the direction Inuyasha had gone in. It wasn't that he didn't want to help her; he couldn't. She had to handle this on her own.
Gulping, Sango walked away from the monk. I can face this. It's just Inuyasha! And its not like I'm going to be fighting him! For some reason, she would have preferred fighting him. I'll just give him some stupid answers and go away. I don't have to listen to what Miroku said. Taking the blossom from behind her ear, she cupped it in her hands and stared at it. I can face this.
Eyes squinting, Inuyasha looked up at the clear sky. The day promised to be a hot one. He groaned. He hated the heat.
The sound of footfalls reached his ears, and he swung his head around to see Sango walking towards him. She was staring at something she held in her hands. When she came closer, Inuyasha saw that it was a cherry blossom.
She stopped some distance from him, but didn't raise her eyes. The hanyou and the tajiya remained like that for a while- he staring at her, she staring at the blossom.
Finally, Inuyasha decided that it was time to break the silence. It didn't feel anything like it did with Kagome; it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable. But he had come here to get answers, not to stare at her.
"Could you look up from that flower for a second?"
Sango finally lifted her eyes from the blossom. Inuyasha once again found himself gazing into their endless depths, and wondering idly whether the little flip flop in his stomach was caused by them or by the strange stew he had eaten that morning. He finally snapped to when Sango looked down at her blossom again.
Deciding to act as though he had felt nothing, Inuyasha asked again "What the heck is wrong with you?"
Playing with the pink flower, Sango said softly "I don't know what you mean."
Inuyasha threw his hands up in exasperation. "You know very well what I mean, Sango! I told you that you owed me some answers, and it's time you cancelled that debt. First off, why do you call Miroku by his name now?"
"What I call or don't call the monk is not your concern Inuyasha."
"Oh blood and bloody ashes! It is my concern! Did something big happen between you two? You've been walking off together more than usual, whispering whenever you think no one's around, and darting glances at each other when you believe no one's looking! That's not really like you! So spit it, what happened?"
Sango stared at him for a moment. Then she asked slowly. "What do you think happened?"
Inuyasha turned away from her and crossed his arms. "Something big and romantic, that's what."
For a while, she was silent. Then, to his surprise, she put a hand on his shoulder, but didn't try to pull him around to face her. "Does that possibility bother you, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha glanced at the slender hand placed on his red haori. He couldn't take his eyes off it for some reason. "Bother me?" he asked in a strangled voice.
The next thing she said was so soft, that even he had to strain to hear the words. "Are you jealous?"
Are you jealous? Her voice sounded normal, but there was an undercurrent to it, a tinge of hope. Hope? She wanted him to be jealous? Why would she want him to be…?
Suddenly, things clicked into place. The recent events, her strange behavior that night, the sudden bond that she and Miroku seemed to be developing, more like two best friends sharing a secret than lovers, Miroku's sad face and his words 'Take care of her Inuyasha'- it all made sense. It was impossible, and yet, it was the only explanation.
Slowly, he turned. And looked into those big beautiful eyes. Her hand was still on his shoulder; he didn't care. This was too strange. Too unbelievable. How did he feel about it? I don't know…
There was only one thing he could think of to say.
"Do you want me to be jealous?"
His voice was soft, and his eyes soft, but Sango still drew her hand away as though he had shouted. She gasped, her eyes filled with horror at what she had said, at his response. She stared at him, then turned around and fled.
"Stop Sango!" he shouted. It was no use. She wouldn't turn. If anything, she ran harder. "Sango!"
Her blossom had fallen to the ground. He picked it up and gazed at it. He couldn't believe it, she actually…? Well, the thing to figure out now was how he felt about it. He closed his eyes, and closed his fist around the blossom, but gently so as not to crush it. It would be like crushing the precious secret she had given him. And for some reason, he didn't want to do that.
Miroku looked up at the sound of pounding feet. His eyes widened when Sango burst out of the trees yelling "Miroku!". She flung herself into his arms and clutched him tightly, sobbing. "Miroku!"
Silently, he put his arms around her. Something had obviously happened, but she didn't look in a state to be asked questions. Had Inuyasha said something? He would find out later. Right now, she had to be comforted.
He rocked her gently in his arms, like he would a baby. She continued to cry, but slowly her sobs became less violent. Her grip on him loosened, but she still wouldn't speak. He wasn't going to push her. She would talk when she was ready. He noted that the flower he had put in her hair was gone. For some reason, that seemed oddly significant to him. Just one tiny blossom, but it seemed to make all the difference. Like something precious had been lost.
Would you believe I wrote this chapter twice? once I started it with Inuyasha talking to Miroku, the second time with Sango talking to Miroku. I stuck with the Sango version. Of course, classic me, both had loads of everyone's favorite monk. If the amount of Miroku gets too much, tell me! I tend to get carried away when I write about him.
I know it's rather rushed, but you see, I'm going out of town for a week. When I get back, I'll have exactly one week to finish this story before being shipped off to school. I'll try to slow it down so that it's not too rushed, but…would you rather a rushed story or no updates for three months? I'll listen to public opinion, so please write in! What would you rather have me do?
Reviews please! Thanks!