Things simply were not going Miroku's way that day. First Sango's nightmare, then Inuyasha's ill-natured ribbing and now this.
The monk grunted as he swung the shakujou towards the shrieking youkai; the metal tore through flesh and bone and cut off the shriek halfway. At least there was no lack of outlets for venting.
"Houshi-sama!"
Hiraikotsu dispatched a few youkai behind him he had not had the time to face. "Thanks, Sango," he grinned. She nodded curtly and his smile slipped a little.
If Sango had been unfriendly to him before, this was downright frigid now. Miroku had long ago given up understanding women as an impossible task, but she... she both drove him to want to understand her and frustrated him into wanting to swear off them for life.
After the battle, Miroku decided to take matters into his own hands. He strode over to where the taijiya leaned, swigging water from her canteen.
"Thank you for saving me just now, Sango," he said, and watched the blush spread over her face. "Without you, I surely would have been killed."
" – it's nothing, just a few minor youkai," she answered. "I'm sure you would have done the same for me – wha...!"
While she was getting out the last few words, the monk's hand had snuck surreptitiously over the curve of her ass.
"Damned lecher!" she shrieked, not unlike the youkai he had slain earlier. Her face drawn tight with rage, Sango slapped him hard across the face.
"Can't you keep your hands to yourself – you make me sick!"
Miroku sat up, gingerly touching his stinging cheek. Inuyasha snickered. "Yeah, there it is. Took a while in coming."
"What was that supposed to mean, Inuyasha?" growled the monk.
"Exactly what it meant," the hanyou shrugged, suddenly serious. "I'd stay clear of her for a few days – I haven't seen Sango this pissed with you."
Offended pride surged up; Miroku turned away. "I don't need your sympathy."
Inuyasha's face closed off. "Too proud for that, are we?" he snarled. "Fine. See if I care. Bastard."
The monk watched miserably – the sight in his left eye was slowly being obscured by the swelling cheek – as the hanyou stalked off to join an equally stiff-backed Sango. Now they were both infuriated by him.
And the grope had not even been worth it.
