Disclaimer: still not mine, though I just want Sesshy.

Last time...

Oh, I won't need any of that for the type of sparing I want to do, the very attractive un-dead said to himself. "All right then," Jakotsu said aloud, "you can meet me at the nearest hot springs, to east of here. If I don't see you there soon, then we can say that you've forfeited, and that I have finally won one round against you and your Inu-gang."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be there," Miroku replied as he watched Jakotsu walk away with his vast sword draped across his shoulder.

Now...

"Miroku, are you crazy?" Young Shippo asked. "You can't battle him, you'll get killed. Even Inuyasha can barely fight with him."

"Keh!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Listen, you miniature moron, I can take that little shrimp on anytime I want; jewel shard or no jewel shard. Now I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Shippo, you're going to have to go over there with Kirara and Kagome. We've got grown folk business to talk about."

"Hey!" Kagome interjected. "I know exactly what you're going to talk about. You can't exclude me! But Shippo, Inuyasha is right; we all really do need to talk. And it might be better if you kept Kirara company. We won't be long, I promise."

"Yeah right," Shippo replied sarcastically. "I don't think I want to know anything that Inuyasha might have to say." And with that, Shippo picked up Kirara and stormed off.

"Look, monk. I know you probably want your chance to duel with one of Band of Seven members one-on-one; and yeah, so Jakotsu wants you to meet him, but it ain't to fight and spar. Or at least, not in the way you're probably thinking," Inuyasha blatantly stated.

"I think I know that, or else I would not have agreed to it," he replied.

"Huh!" That received a gasp from everyone.

"But Miroku," Sango began. "He doesn't want to fight you, at least not in the way that we are all accustomed to. And besides, you know that he's, well, you know."

"I think I know this already. But nothing you can say will change my mind."

"But why? I don't get it. Are you?" Kagome needed to know.

"No! I'm a monk, what do you think! I mean, I guess I thought about it once or twice, but it's not like I could ever do anything. It's not something you go around broadcasting. I never knew anyone I could really tell, and even if I did, I don't think I would have been able to trust them. If they told, it could have destroyed me. I'm a monk, and people are supposed to be able to come to me for spiritual guidance and help."

"I guess they will now. But, with a different kind of guidance in mind," Inuyasha joked, trying to make light of the whole situation.

"That's not funny."

"But what about all those times you asked girls to bear your child? Is that why you never asked me?" Sango inquired.

"Yes. No. Yes, I mean. Ugh!" Miroku was getting frustrated in with the matter. Why had it gotten so complicated? It was his business. Up till now they had always trusted him. So what if he flirted all the time and asked all the beautiful women he met to bear his child. He had to. It was the only way to cover up any thoughts he ever had about that subject. The images he would have. He couldn't let anyone guess. Especially not Sango. He'd grown accustomed to having her around. No, that wasn't it. He started to have feelings for her; major feelings. But he couldn't hurt her. That's why he never told anyone.

He knew that she liked him, and he was falling for her just the same. But if he ever told her, he would probably would have had to tell the gang; and none of them would ever want to speak to him again. And Inuyasha, either he would get worried that Miroku would try to make a move on him, or he would tease him non-stop. He couldn't help it if he liked to cheer for both teams. He couldn't help that he wanted Sango more than anything. But he also wanted to know what it would be like with another man. And he had a chance to find that out, with Jakotsu. Maybe he would see something he'd been waiting the last three years to see—a nice attractive guy, with his naked chest and broad shoulders. That was all he wanted.

That's all he had wanted. For the last three years when he figured out that he fancied the male persuasion as well. That one evening, after he had finished his travels and warded off the evil spirits in this one village. It was with an older man; not that much older, only by a few years. They went into the hot springs together with the rest of the men in the village. It was the first time he had taken any true notice to this. All guys, all guys in one location. He stared at the guy's chest, nice and firm. Miroku felt his muscles in his southern region begin to swell in ways he knew it shouldn't have. And his breathing began to slow as he felt a strange feeling wash through. After the older man who was sitting next to him gave him a weird look, he knew that he would have to wait until everyone was gone till he got up. When he finally got up after everyone left, he went behind one of the bigger rocks and allowed himself the bliss that he'd been denied ever since the first time he had been attracted to a female.

Ever since then, he never allowed himself another glimpse at a man before. But now, he finally had a chance to explore all that he had been denied. "Sango, I never asked you because I truly had feelings for you. I-I mean, I still do. If I asked you and you had said yes, then what? What if you had found out that I also prefer companionship with the latter? You would not have believed me; and even if you did, you would have never given me the time of day. Not to mention that Inuyasha would never let me live it down. He would probably bug me every time we went into battle, especially now with us battling against the Band of Seven."

"Houshi—" Sango began.

"No Sango. I have feelings for you, I really do. Oh Sango, if it were up to me, we would be together already. But sometimes I am a gentleman, believe it or not. I would not make a move if I knew the timing wasn't right. And you deserve to know the truth; the whole truth. And as much as I want you, and want to be with you, this is something I have to do. Something I need to find out for myself."

"But I want you too, houshi. Am I not enough?"

"Oh Sango!" Miroku exclaimed as he hugged her tightly around her arms. Oh Kami! He thought to himself. He had wanted this for so long; ever since the first day when he started to find himself attracted to her. He breathed in deeply her heavenly essence. He wanted her so badly, and his girth was calling to her. He quickly backed away before she could take notice. As much as he wanted her, he might never have this chance again to explore his feelings. "Oh my dear Sango, as much as I want you right now, this is something I need to do. I might never get this chance again."

"But he's on Naraku's side. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Kagome finally asked, no longer able to keep quiet. "What if he tries to convince you to join their side?"

Sango kept quiet. She didn't want to hear his answer. Their feelings were finally out in the open, and for the first time when he had the chance to do something about it, he did nothing. No! He did worse than nothing; he hugged her and then he pushed her away. As if she hadn't already felt his hardness. She knew that she had aroused him, but he didn't want her. She took a few steps back, furthering the distance between him and her friends. After she heard what he said, she didn't want to be around him right now. She wanted to leave. "Go!" she commanded her feet, but it was useless. She couldn't move, and she didn't want to wait to hear what else he had to say.

"I know that he's on Naraku's side, and no I'm not worried. I know what I'm doing. It's just something I have to do. Sango—

She interrupted him with the most death-defying, intimidating look before she turned and began to storm off.

"I- I, look, I have to go. I promise I will come back." And with, Miroku turned and walked away.

No you won't. Not back to me, Sango thought to herself after she turned around just in time to hear the last of his words. As she felt painful burning tears come to her eyes, she bit her bottom lip, turned around once and ran away. The taijiya ran blindly as fast as she through the woods not really caring where she was going. She couldn't stay there anymore, not after what just happened. She couldn't be around them and their sympathetic words, not right then.

A/N: Please, Read, Rate, and Review. Arigato.