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Consequences

"And so I hate consequences,
And running from you is what my best defense is."-Relient K

Meeting her in front of Yuto and Sarah's hut, Miroku was grim set making Azurine begin to worry. He looked as if something bad had happened and he now had to break the news to her. She sincerely doubted this theory, though.

"Walk with me?" he asked, taking her hand. She nodded and walked beside him. He brought her to a secluded area near the sacred tree. He stopped and sighed.

"Okay, Miroku, spill. What's going on? What's wrong?" Azurine questioned.

"Yesterday…I was scared…scared that we would be too late to save you. I thought they had hurt you, taken advantage of you. I thought you might relive Cain."

"How'd you know about Cain?"

"That time you met with him, I figured it out when I saw your face. Sarah confirmed it later on. Anyway, Azurine, the point is that I've lost you too many times. I don't want to lose you again. I don't have very much time left on this Earth, and after I'm gone you'd be free to pursue anyone you want. But, while I'm here, stay with me, please." He held out a silver ring, a blue stone embedded on it.

Azurine dropped his hand, pulling away and turning pale. "Don't ask me this…please, Miroku."

"But…I love you. I've loved you from the day I first met you. You're all I can think about. Your face, your eyes, your hands." He ran his fingers from her temple, over her eyelids, her cheek and down her arm, lacing with her fingers.

After a moment she drew back, again. "I'm…not the Azurine you met that day. She died right beside Yukito."

"No, you're still you. I can feel it. I can prove it." He bent down to kiss her, but she jerked away.

"I can't! I could have killed you, too! I'm never going to hurt anybody ever again!"

"Azurine…you really don't…you won't?"

She shook her head. "I can't," she whispered. "Excuse me." She pushed past him, on the verge of tears.

He caught her by the arm. "You're afraid to love?"

"I'm never going to hurt someone I love again! Let go!"

"No. If you leave me now, that's what'll hurt me."

"Look! Why don't you just go after Sango, again?" she cried, wrenching her arm away. "She's much prettier than I am, and nicer, and a whole lot more talented, too! Just leave me alone."

"No." Miroku lightly tapped her head with his staff. "Are you thinking clearly? You promised me."

"That was three years ago. Mir…Miroku…" Her voice cracked. "It's over." She walked away.

"Do…do what you find in your heart, and no one will be able to blame you for anything."

His voice was quiet. It pained him to say this. Azurine turned slightly. His eyes were locked on the ground off to her left. He walked past her towards the village.

"I…I really did hurt him," she whispered softly. She shook her head. "But I can't turn back. I could end up killing him, too."

Azurine trailed slowly behind Miroku, heading back towards Sarah's hut.

"You told him NO?" Sarah cried. The two were sitting at the table when Azurine relayed what happened. Sarah stared at her friend wide-eyed. "Fine! Just rip out his heart! Do you know how crazy he went when you were gone? He was eating plates! My good china, no less!"

Azurine closed her eyes. "I'm doing it for his own good. Remember what happened to Yukito?"

"Azurine, there's something I have to show you." Sarah pulled her along.

On the same property as Sarah's house, a small shrine had been built and decorated with blue flowers. There was a name neatly etched into the stone.

Yukito

"Yukito." A tear trickled down Azurine's cheek. "You take care of his grave?"

"Yea, we all do. InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo, and Yuto. Miroku, too, but sometimes, he just sits there. For hours on end, he just wonders what the future would have been if not for his grandson's death. Only his single, brief moment with Sango and your short presence distracted him from his sorrow. He spent hours of his time sitting there wondering, wishing, hoping, and even praying."

"He's a monk! He's supposed to pray," Azurine interrupted.

"He wanted a miracle and for a second, when you came back, he thought his prayer had been answered.

"And I ruined it?" Azurine asked, not expecting an answer. "I'm only trying to save him."

"I need saving?"

Miroku was standing behind her. She spun around to face him as she blushed. "Really, Azurine, you get hurt more often than any of us, excluding miss Wonder Klutz over there, of course," he added, nodding to Sarah who shrugged and slightly giggled at her own foolishness.

Azurine turned and bowed to the shrine. "Goodbye, 'Kito. I'll always miss you." She then turned to Sarah. "I think I'm going to go home, soon. It hurts too much to be here: for me and everyone else."

She turned away and there was silence.

Finally, "You're wrong." Azurine blinked and turned back. Sarah was speaking as her eyes sparkled with tears.

"There are people here who care about you. I've been worrying about you for the past three years. Now, when you finally come back, you're going to leave me again?"

Azurine dropped her gaze. Being reprimanded by Sarah was bad enough, but to have Miroku there as well, it was torture.

"It's okay for you to want to leave, but think. Is it really what you want?"

Azurine thought for a while. She looked, first at Sarah, and then at Miroku. "No," she said softly. "No, it's not, but I need to make sure that I don't hurt anybody. Never again."

Sarah smiled. "Then stay."

Azurine nodded. Miroku didn't look up.

Finally, to break the silence, Sarah spoke, wiping her tears. "Are you staying for dinner, Miroku?"

He smiled heavily at her. "Thank you for your generous hospitality, Sarah, but it would seem I'm not exactly wanted here."

"Nonsense. Yuto and I love when you come over. Just so long as you don't teach Little Yukito about women again," she added sternly. "And I'm sure Azurine's just being shy. She'll come around soon."

"No, no, that's alright. I don't' want to discomfort anyone," Miroku said, trying to be kind and let Azurine void him.

"Stay," Sarah growled. "Eat." She hated it when people didn't eat.

Miroku paled, aware of her ferocity. "O…Okay."

(Bean: Eee! Oh, my God! We finished the game! Spaz I am. I took every free day with Miroku. At the end, my charrie, Kyoko, told him she loved him! Eeps! Squeaking So cute!
Chibi: So tired. Must sleep now.
Bean: NEVER!)

Azurine, watching this awkward, yet seemingly normal scene, sweat dropped. She exited stage right.

Wrap-up:
Just so you guys know, we finished that video game months ago. It's just that Bean was writing it down while we played. It's funny, though, so I add it in. Come back next week! Review, please! Bai-bai!