Roses:

A hanyou, clad in red, silken garments sat perched upon a stump focused in the middle of the clearing, the moonlight illuminating his features and making his silver strands of hair seem to glow. A breeze blew through the trees surrounding a small clearing. The night's air was perfect, and especially since it was a summer night, he thought. He was alone, which is exactly what he had been aiming for, being as he seemed to require at least 6/7 nights a week to muse at the nights sky alone.

His group of friends, a monk, a demon slayer, a school girl, and a kitsune, were back at a cabin somewhere off behind him just outside of the woods. Of course though, he had been secretly wishing that at least one person had followed him. One person whom he knew he shouldn't yearn for, nor really even feel the need to love, the monk, Miroku. The man had been the only one ever to entrance him for long hours just by looking at him.

He shook his head and stared up at the glowing moon, seemingly floating in the night sky. He knew he shouldn't want him, he was already being yearned for by another, the school girl, Kagome, and of course Miroku already had his own and already engaged lover, the demon-slayer, Sango. He acknowledged the fact that his wild thoughts and romantic fantasies were merely farfetched pieces of art painted by the illusions of his wild imagination, but he still couldn't let go.

He wanted the monk badly, wanted him to know how much he loved him, wanted him to call his name softly, Inuyasha. But, sadly, even if he knew he probably would be disgusted and reject him even further. The very idea of never being able to see the man again would kill him inside. Inuyasha shook his head again and muttered.

"I'm doing it again." But even as he said these words he still couldn't shake the feeling that some part of Miroku felt the same way about him. He really didn't know why, he had never given even the slightest glance of curiosity in his direction, but something in his own gut said that he had to feel the same way. If he could just say the words he wanted to say, get over being so scared.

He chuckled slightly at the thought of being loved by the monk. Why not try it though? Why not try saying the words he wanted, he was alone after all. He took a deep trembling breath and felt the summer's lukewarm night air rustle his hair slightly.

"Miroku, I love you. I want you here beside me every minute of my life. You are my everything and you're my all, if I had my life still to give I would love you always. I love you, Miroku. I love you."

There he had said it, unfortunately the only effect it had though was to bring even more images into his mind of what the monk might do upon hearing this message.

"Its hopeless," He said lying on his back and balancing his right leg over the knee of his left, "even if I could love you there still the fact of Sango, and I just couldn't put you in that position."

Another breeze rustled the trees and Inuyasha closed his eyes, allowing him to see the soft light of the moon filtered through his eyelids. Maybe one day I'll will be able to, maybe one day, hopefully.

"Miroku…"

Nearby in the shadowed darkness of a tree Miroku stood, watching the hanyou. So this was why, this was why he had been acting like he had right lately, he thought.

Miroku really didn't know what to think, he was quite certain that he liked the hanyou, and had to admit that a few nights sleep had been snatched away from him because of it. But even know, where he stood, he couldn't take his eyes of the form stretched out and laying in the grass.

He was so beautiful, and peaceful, how could he turn down such and offer, such a request? He did have quite a valid point though, He and Sango were definitely engaged, however as far as Kagome went, he really wasn't too sure why Inuyasha was even still considering her feelings. Of course she had shown compassion for him before, but that was on very rare occasions. Normally in fact her way of showing love was more like playing pin the tail on the donkey, only Inuyasha was the donkey and the tail to pin was more like a necklace that made the wearer obedient to the command "Sit".

Miroku couldn't help but smile at his own thoughts of compassion for the hanyou, but right now he really just could not afford to love him the way he deserved to be loved. He wasn't too sure if he would ever get another chance but he would just have to wait he supposed.

He relaxed his face and continued to stare at the form laying in the grass which promptly yawned and stretched. I suppose it can't hurt to at least keep watching him though, after all, he is adorable, he thought to himself.

Maybe someday Inuyasha, maybe someday, I will love you…

The next day was sunny, bright, and was full of no signs of even a trace of bad weather. Sango seemed to be quite certain that weather was a sign of good luck and almost insisted that the crew move on and look for the jewel shards some more. Unfortunately for her though none of the rest seemed to be really up to any more walking for the day.

This was unusual for Inuyasha not to be up and harassing everyone about moving on and searching for the jewel shards some more. Sango merely raised her eyebrows in astonishment at the fact and Kagome and Shippou both seemed to hail it as a miracle from above. This action of course earned the small kitsune an enormous bonk on the head, which, in return, earned Inuyasha a whopping 2 sit commands from Kagome.

Miroku, who had been sitting out on the front porch of the cabin listened to the others fighting within and shook his head in disgust at the way Kagome treated the hanyou. He kept remembering that fragile form lying in the moonlit grass last night and thought how anyone could possibly want to punish that.

Of course the monk had the privilege of knowing just exactly why the hanyou really wasn't in the mood for traveling, and felt slightly guilty of the fact that it was him whom his mind was on.

Miroku looked out over the sweeping hillside that stretched out in front of the cabin. The hill seemed top be more of a mini mountain, lined on either side with a curved stretch of woods, rather than a hillside. Either way, the blue skies and perfect weather was most definitely a sure sign of luck, but if the crew wasn't searching for the shards today then what was the luck going to be used for?

The monk shook his head and then rested it upon the siding of the cabin. There was of course no telling what the day would bring, nor the night for that matter.

Inuyasha was in no mood for Kagome's crap that day. Apparently she and that damnable kitsune seemed to find it funny to praise the skies for the miracle of having him not in the mood to search for the jewel shards.

He couldn't help but pound upon the nearest thing he could find, especially when the nearest thing is the kitsune who annoys the hell out of you twenty-four, seven! Normally he only earned one sit for pounding the small kitsune, but this time he got two. Did she get some kind of sick amusement of torturing him countless times a day or was she just trying to show affection in the only way she seems to find pleasurable? Either way he wasn't interested in her crap, especially not today.

Today was not a day in which he felt the need to be annoyed or pestered. The feelings from last night that norrmally faded away, had ceased to do their job and disappear. He felt quite alone and helpless and continued to yearn for the sound of the monk's voice, soothing and comforting. He continued to daydream and fantasize about falling asleep in his arms, or kissing him passionately.

"Inuyasha, are you ok?"

He snapped back from his thoughtful state and looked up into the eyes of the school girl, so happy and innocent, it made him sick.

"Does it look like I'm ok?" he snapped back and proceeded to roll over and face the wall of the cabin rather than watch the others.

"Inuyasha you shouldn't snap at people when they are trying to help." She said as the small kitsune jumped up on her right shoulder and chirped up a "that's right!" in agreement.

"Keh, I'm going, I don't need this crap, not today." Inuyasha spat, getting up from his spot and walking out the door, brushing the bamboo curtain aside.

Outside was bright and sunny, and the blue sky seemed to stretch as far as the eyes could see, which just so happened to be just to the top of the massive hill that stretched out in front of the cabin.

"First sight, first go." He muttered under his breath and started to walk towards the top of the hill.

"Hey, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha whirled himself around and spat towards the calling voice, sure that it was Kagome still trying to make him feel better.

"What!"

"Uh, may I talk with you for a moment?" The voice was distinctly not female and was now trembling slightly at the sheer loudness from the hanyou's voice.

"Oh, Miroku! It's you." Inuyasha said trying to hide a slight blush from seeing the monk.

Inuyasha wandered over to the steps that led off the porch and sat down at the top one, which was only just far enough off of the ground to just barely keep his feet from touching the ground.

"What do you want?"

"I just," Miroku said stuttering a little as he looked at the gorgeous sliver strands of hair, "I just wanted to ask you something."

Inuyasha perked his ears slightly and felt his heart race slightly.

"Ask me something?" Inuyasha repeated, "What would that be?"

Miroku hadn't really intended to say anything to the hanyou; he didn't know what had come over him. So what was he supposed to do now? Should he actually tell Inuyasha that he had heard his every word last night?

"Uh, I was going to ask you if you were still interested in Kagome."

Inuyasha's heart rate subsided and he turned around and looked the monk squarely in the eyes.

"If I still felt anything for her it would be nothing but hatred."

Inuyasha got up and walked down the steps slowly and a few feet away from the shack.

"Wait!" Miroku shouted, unable to control himself.

"Yea?" Inuyasha said stopping, continuing to stare at his prize, the sanctity of the far off hilltop.

"When will you be back?"

"I dunno, late I suspect." Inuyasha said before looking over his should at the monk and saying, "You shouldn't worry yourself with my problems monk."

With that last phrase he bounded off into the distance straight towards the hilltop. He was planning on staying there for quite a while, on through the night would probably be best, that is if it was at all possible to escape the grasp of that damnable Kagome.

Behind, Miroku watched the form disappear into the far off tree line. Why had he been so intent upon trying to tell him his feelings? It's not like he really had intended on saying anything.

Miroku beat the back of his head lightly on the wall behind him and muttered to himself.

"I'm such an idiot…"

Dusk was approaching and Inuyasha had not returned, of course this did not surprise Miroku, nor should it have surprised anyone else. Inuyasha could sometimes wind up spending as much as two weeks alone by himself simply musing things over, not that Miroku blamed him, quite the opposite in fact. Miroku was quite empathetic when it came to Inuyasha and understood his need for long expanses of time to think if not just to get away from Kagome.

Naturally he couldn't agree with most of what the hanyou did but he still did not see that the sit command should be used so freely and so frivolously. Every time Miroku saw the hanyou get the command he winced at the thought of how much force it must actually take to imprint his body form into the ground.

Whatever the case may be though the dusk was now casting an orange glow upon the far off tree line and seemed to make everything have a mysterious glow to it. Miroku, who was no good at following directions decided that he couldn't stand not seeing the picture of the innocent little hanyou stretched out upon the woods again and informed the girls that he was going out as well.

"Not you too!" Shippou exclaimed with a hint of displeasure in his voice.

"Yes, me too." Miroku said calmly back towards the small kitsune, "It seems that even I must have a brief period in time in which my mind becomes so clouded over with thoughts that even I must require some time to sort them out."

"Miroku."

Miroku looked over towards the demon slayer Sango.

"Yes my dearest?"

"Is this about Inuyasha?"

Miroku wasn't too sure how to respond to this but he simply decided to blow it off.

"Of course it is, oh and by the way my pants are on fire."

With this Miroku cackled slightly and headed out the door towards the dusky hilltop. He knew where he would find the hanyou, there were normally two places in which he would go; a clearing, or a hilltop overlooking a valley of some sort, besides the obvious trees that is.

It didn't take to long to find the hanyou, as Miroku was usually quite correct with his calculations in behavior, especially when it came to the hanyou.

Inuyasha was perched upon a small hilltop deep within the woods that overlooked a small rose garden in the village at the bottom. The clearing was secret and discrete, meaning that anyone in the village below that looked up at the hilltop, forest line would see absolutely nothing but a green tree line.

Actually this is probably the very reason the hanyou picked the spot, which was because of the discreteness which would allow him to be more at ease to think.

Miroku made his way quietly to the safety of the shadowy dense forest. Quietly he found a tree that was across from the sitting figure and he sat down, looking around and getting a better perspective of the place in which he was in.

The clearing was actually fairly small, more narrow than wide, rather it widened more towards the edge and then suddenly cut off by a thing row of trees which help to provide the screen that kept the clearing a secret.

Inuyasha was sitting on the top of where the slope just started , apparently lost in deep thought. What was he thinking about?, Miroku wondered. Most likely he is still thinking about me. I'll just sit here and watch him some more just like last night.

Inuyasha sat, looking through the trees at the rose garden not too far below with a little brook running through it. Presently he was lost in deep thought about the monk. It seems that ever since last night he hadn't been able to get the monk off of his mind.

"Damn," He muttered, "Why wont you go away, why wont you stop haunting me from day to day!"

Inuyasha felt himself well up inside and felt a knot forming in his throat, his eyes were even beginning to sting.

"This is too much for me to bear." He muttered drooping his head into his knees and letting the silent tears fall, "I love you but I cannot have you, yet, I have the power to try, everything in me says to try but my mind knows its not logical. Which should I go for? Which should I try to follow. My mom always told me to listen to my heart, but…Miroku…why won't you go away?"

Inuyasha took his head out of his knees for a moment to allow a light breeze to blow upon his face, cooling the streaks of liquid upon his cheeks.

"I wish you were here Miroku, I wish you only knew."

"But I do"

Inuyasha spun around to find himself looking at the monk. Was this a trick of his mind?

"Miroku," Inuyasha said suddenly trying to wipe his tears away without the monk noticing, "how long have you been here!"

"For two nights Inuyasha." Miroku said sitting down beside the hanyou and looking out over the rose garden through the trees.

"T-Two nights!" Inuyasha spat, "How dare you watch me you pervert! I bet you were dreaming up some fancy scheme to get at me you lecher."

"Stop playing Inuyasha, you know my only intent is talk to you."

A cool breeze blew and ruffled the monk's dark hair and jingled his two golden ear rings. Everything was glowing in the moonlight of a full moon that's seemed to engulf the very ocean of stars that seemed to make up the vast expanse of sky.

"How would I know that, you could have been doing anything you wanted!"

Miroku suddenly made a swift move and tackled the hanyou, pinning him to the ground and preventing all movement by securing his arms.

"I was doing everything I wanted and nothing you didn't wish for"

Inuyasha felt his heart race and then skip a beat. His arms were numb and weak; he really couldn't have moved them even if he wanted to. This was really happening! This was really real! The monk really had him pinned, and really was trying to love him, what should he do? Protest? That certainly wasn't too possible at this point in time especially with his current state, besides, he really wanted more.

Miroku leaned in and lightly pressed his lips to Inuyasha's own, sending shivers down his spine and causing heavier breathing.

Inuyasha instinctively moved forward slightly and then opened his mouth a little wider, showing his own acceptance for the situation at present. Inuyasha was in heaven, his own body seemed to know no bounds for ecstasy and his mind seemed to rush forward in slow motion.

Miroku slid his own tongue out slightly and brushed it passed the hanyou's lips which gladly opened, allowing a smooth entrance for the monk whose mind was now completely in heaven.

Inuyasha had no idea how long it actually lasted. How long the tongues and the lips expertly slid passed each other, giving playful nips at one another occasionally, All he knew is that it was over way too soon. He wanted more, needed more, but still seemed satisfied at the same time.

His world seemed to come crashing down all at once. Miroku, his own self, his mother, his brother, the jewel shards, Kagome, it all seemed to melt away and solidify on his chest. His eyes burned and he felt tears stream out of his eyes as he looked into the beautiful violet eyes above him.

"Miroku I love you…"

"I know, you said it to me last night remember."

Inuyasha felt himself smile a little bit and then closed his eyes as Miroku laid his body to rest on top of Inuyasha's own. Inuyasha felt himself become severely tired and felt himself yawn and then drift off too sleep as Miroku did the same.

A slight breeze blew across the plain rustling the glowing portrait of the two lovers sleeping on the ground below, silently dreaming of each other and thinking the exact same thing.

"I love you…"

The dawn was breaking over the hillside and illuminating in a light and soft white glow, the cabin in which the two girls and the kitsune sat worridly.

"It's been all night and neither of them have come back." Kagome said solemnly

"They probably fell asleep, it really wouldn't be surprising" Sango responded staring at the slots of sunlight pouring through the bamboo doorway.

"I'm going to give him what for when he comes back for having me so worried."

"Kagome, I think you might be repelling him with that trick" Sango said looking at her intently.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if you don't quit soon he'll find another." Sango said plainly

"That's a lie, Inuyasha would never leave me, he's really just a big soft marshmallow on the inside."

"And your roasting him alive Kagome, I'm telling you, you need to quit."

The two girls sat for a little while longer, staring at the bamboo flap, waiting for someone to come through it.

"Let's go look for them." Sango said grabbing her Hiraikotsu

Kagome nodded in agreement and followed her out the door, a sleepy Shippou following silently.

They had just gotten out the door and were about to split up to search for each their own but then Shippou pointed to the sloped hilltop in the distance and said aloud.

"Hey, isn't that them?"

Kagome and Sango looked to where Shippou was pointing and saw two shapes emerge from the woods, holding hands.

"Is Miroku hurt?" Kagome asked as she looked at the two men holding hands and strolling towards the shack talking and laughing aloud.

"I don't think so." Sango said her eyes still fixed upon the scene.

"I've never seen Inuyasha so happy." Shippou said noting the hanyou's distant yet unmistakably un-tense face.

Suddenly Inuyasha tripped due to a foot from the monk beside him and Miroku tried to catch his mistake but ended up tumbling down with him. The two men were stopped by a gracious slope in the hill but didn't bother to get up, nor even check to see if anyone was watching.

"Is he…" Kagome said aloud noting Inuyasha.

Sango nodded at Kagome's question.

Inuyasha bent upwards, catching Miroku's open lips and gradually engaged a full kiss, sending shivers and spurs of pleasure and comfort up both men's spines.

"Inuyasha…you, your such a bastard!" Kagome said running away, back towards the cabin.

Sango just simply stood. Miroku, you're finally happy, if this is what makes you happy, go with him, go.

The two men simply laughed heartily and got up only to face Sango who was smiling happily.

"Welcome back, we were worried."

Miroku simply looked a Sango's smiling face and then back at Inuyasha.

"Sango, I can exp…"

"Don't," She said smiling and offering a hand to him, "you don't have to tell me why."

"Thank you." Miroku said his eyes thankful and full of understanding.

"It's nothing lecher." She said looking back at him and then towards Inuyasha, "boy, this is going to be hard to get used to."

Inuyasha looked at her and smiled, which is something that had almost never happened before.

"It's still something even we're getting used to Sango."

"Right, well, we have some breakfast ready but I'm willing to put my money on the fact that Kagome is going to take some convincing so I think you boys ought to eat out of earshot of her, at least for Inuyasha's sake."

Inuyasha nodded in unison with Miroku. Sango turned and led the way, smiling but still slightly saddened. Inuyasha and Miroku grasped each others hands' and followed the demon slayer onwards towards acceptance, and onwards towards another day…

Theme song:

"Everything" By: Lifehouse (No Name Face)

"song" :artist (album)