Title: Trip

Character/Pairing: Miroku/Sango

Rating: PG

c. 2005

It was a beautiful day. Inuyasha and company were taking a break, here next to the stream where Shippou played. Warm wind tousled their hair and caused inevitable smiles to brighten their faces. For the moment, there was peace.

Inuyasha and Kagome were down the riverbank, fishing for supper. Sango sat upstream, plucking at the flowers as she listened to the two of them argue. Kirara sat in her lap, mewing when her mistress would stroke her.

Sango was thinking vaguely of falling asleep when she heard footsteps behind her. She didn't need to turn around; the telltale clink of the rings on his staff gave him away.

"Houshi-sama," she murmured.

"Sango," he returned. "May I ask a favor of you?"

She turned to face him then, finding that he looked unusually grave. "I suppose, Houshi-sama. What is it?"

"I'd like to borrow Kirara for a few days."

She blinked. "Why?"

His gaze traveled fleetingly to his right hand. Sango felt a sudden alarm go off in her head. "Houshi-sama?"

"I need Mushin-sama to check the wind tunnel," he said, his gaze leveling with hers. "It's been hurting the past few nights, and I think—" He paused, words failing him momentarily. "I think it might be close."

Sango rose slowly, one hand fisted to her hammering heart. "Houshi-sama, don't—don't think like that. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe it means something else—"

"Sango, Mushin-sama told me the last time that I visited that I probably wouldn't live to the end of the year. You see, the wind tunnel consumes each generation more quickly, and my father was barely twenty-five—"

Sango sucked in her breath. "No," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," he said simply.

She felt her throat getting thick and swallowed rapidly. "How long? Do you think Mushin-sama's prediction is correct? How much time do you have?"

"I don't know," Miroku responded quietly.

"Enough time that we could defeat Naraku, right? Enough time for us to save you."

"I don't know," he repeated, looking pained. His eyes, which had traveled to the ground, suddenly went back to her. "Please, Sango, don't look like that."

She caught herself just in time, scrubbing away non-existent tears with her sleeve. She would not cry. She didn't want him to see her cry.

"Sango," he prompted softly, "Kirara?"

"Right." Stiffening her resolve, the taijiya picked up her neko-youkai companion and sent her to Miroku, who nodded in thanks.

"Goodbye, Sango."

"Wait!" she found herself calling. As he turned around, she walked over and embraced him tightly. "Promise me you'll come back," she said, the words muffled against his chest.

"Sango…"

"Promise me!"

His arm rose slowly and he pressed his hand to her back, drawing her closer. He closed his eyes as his lips collided with her forehead, and took in the scent of her hair. She smelled of rain and daisies, and of Kagome's shampoo.

"I promise."

-

-

-

Oh noes! Teh angst!