The man thought, as he lay there, that he really only had one wish.
"Sango," he whispered softly, catching the attention of the woman in the cell next to him.
"Houshi-sama..." She replied, and he hated how defeated she sounded. Her bleak tones grated on his heart, ripping it to shreds with every word she spoke. 'She doesn't deserve this,' he thought bitterly. She had done nothing wrong.
"Please, Sango, I need to know one thing."
There was a pause, and he heard her fidget on the hard stone floor.
"Yes?" She said finally. "What is your question?"
He took a deep, cleansing breath.
"Did you love me?"
He heard her breath catch, but she gave no answer. The silence was unbearable, and so he spoke to cover it, and maybe to lessen the blow of his rejection, just a little.
"Sango," he whispered, "I have only one regret in my life, and it is this: When we were younger, you spoke to me of traveling the world, and testing your hand at adventures. You told me of your dream, and I readily agreed with you, for all I wanted was to make you happy— all I wanted," he said hoarsely, "was to make you love me.
"And so I worked, day and night, preparing to make your dreams come true. But as I worked, there were things I missed— your laughter, your birthday, and... Your courtship.
"And then, when I came to your house that day, proud and excited, because finally, I could make you happy, finally, I could give you what you'd wanted, the adventure that you'd hoped for..."
He closed his eyes, willing himself to forget how she used to smile at him before that day.
"...You were married."
He heard her let out a deep, shuddering breath, and couldn't help but feel the same crushing horror that he'd felt that day all over again. The pain so unbearable that he'd gotten on a ship, crossed the ocean just to run from it.
He'd been foolish, of course. He couldn't run from her. He couldn't run from this.
"I have only one regret, Sango..." He repeated slowly, so as to lessen the shaking of his voice. "Just one out of a whole life. Sango, when I got on that ship... "
He heard her take in a sharp breath then, as if preparing herself for what he would say.
"... I regret not taking you with me."
A sudden sob burst from beside him, and he jumped up, startled to find her clutching the bars between them, pressing her face to them in desperation.
"Why didn't you ask?!" She cried, tears streaming down her dirt covered face, leaving tracks that showed him the paleness of her skin. "I would have gone with you, had you only asked me! I would have left him!"
He was frozen to the spot, his chest heaving with every breath he took as the gears turned in his head. Impossible.
"Miroku, you fool!" she whimpered. "The marriage was my fathers doing, surely you knew that! I loved you! I love you, still! My heart is yours, and yours alone! And this," she shook the bars violently, before slipping her hand between them and reaching out for him, "this is worth everything! Everything, and anything, just to see you again!"
Unthinkingly, he stepped forward, clasping her hand in his and holding it to his chest as tightly as he could.
They stayed there, both their hearts aching as they thought of the wasted time between them.
"You loved me?" He said quietly.
"More than anything," she choked out.
He opened his mouth, another question on the tip of his tongue, but he never got to ask as he heard keys jangle by his cell door.
His heart stopped, and he looked up to see her eyes widening in horror. She shook her head slowly, and he wondered for a moment if she would ask him not to go this time. He remembered that back then, that was all he'd wanted her to say. The irony would be killer.
"I love you," he whispered.
The key clicked in the lock, and the cell door was thrown open with a loud bang.
Miroku closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself to let go of her, one last time.
"Fuck!" came a curse from hall, followed by the sound of a keyring dropping. "Wench, we're trying to be fucking quiet, remember?!"
"I'm sorry!" Quipped another voice, distinctly female— and Miroku realised he knew those voices.
"Inuyasha?!" He called in surprise, whipping his head to the doorway to see his best friend smirking down at him, with Kagome standing behind him, smiling happily.
"What's with the surprise, bozo? You didn't think I'd leave you to die? Who else would be my second in command?"
Miroku felt his face break into a huge smile, one so big it was almost painful. "You took your time, Captain."
"Yeah, well, that's her fault!" Growled Inuyasha, jerking his thumb back towards Kagome. "She's the one who insisted on all this 'stealth' crap! You know if it were me I'd have just taken you back straight off."
"I know," chuckled Miroku, squeezing Sango's hand in his. 'We're gonna be okay.'
"Miroku-sama," Kagome said suddenly, catching both the men's attention, "who's this?"
Miroku caught Inuyasha's eye, conveying to him everything he couldn't have said. He had made his past no secret to his best friend.
"Unlock the other door, Kagome," Inuyasha said, his voice ringing with authority, "and then let's head back. This place stinks."
Kagome smiled gently, then quickly unlocked the other cell door, walking over to Sango and holding out her arm as support. She beckoned for her to grab onto it, and after giving a quick look to Miroku, who nodded, she did.
Miroku did the same, clasping Inuyasha's hand when he offered it to help him up. They shut the cell doors, relocking them, and then there was a pause as Kagome pulled out a water flask from her pack, handing it to the former captives to drink, which they did gratefully.
"Two things," Inuyasha said suddenly, catching everyone's attention, but looking only at Sango. "One: there are no freeloaders on my ship. If you're gonna come, you're gonna work. It can be dangerous, so be prepared. Two," and here his face became cold, his eyes hardening unforgivingly as he crossed his arms testily, "if you break his heart, you're walking the fucking plank."
"Inuyasha," Miroku said sternly, frowning at his best friend, but he paid him no heed, staring straight at Sango, and she stared back without hesitation.
"If I break his heart," she said evenly, "then the plank is too good for me."
Inuyasha's eyes softened, and he turned around and crouched, beckoning to Sango. "Come on then, woman, I saw that limp. Miroku's in no state to carry you, and I can't have you slow us down. Get on."
She smiled, then nodded. Kagome and Miroku shared a glance, both of them intrigued at their sudden camaraderie, but not willing to say anything and possibly ruin it. Miroku stared at Sango, her chestnut hair shining even in the dim light of the dungeon, and it hit him that she had chosen him. All this time, she had been waiting for him to come for her. His heart beat faster as he fully absorbed that fact.
She turned back and smiled at him, her love for him shining on her face, and he felt like running up and kissing her as hard as he could.
"She seems nice," Kagome whispered to him, drawing him out of his thoughts.
"She is," he grinned happily.
"Oi! What are you guys doing?! Let's go, I wasn't joking around when I said it fucking stinks in here!" Inuyasha snapped, his pace not slowed at all, even with Sango on his back.
"Right!" Kagome giggled, jogging to catch up to the pair ahead, and, his head spinning in excitement, Miroku did the same, running up and slipping Sango's hand into his.
She smiled brightly at him, and he grinned up at her, kissing her hand and rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin.
"Hey, no lovey-dovey when you're in such close proximity. Save it for the wedding, lecher."
"No promises."
"I'll give you kitchen duty for a week, dammit. Don't test me."
"Inuyasha, at this point in my life, I would gladly accept whatever punishment you give me. It is well worth it."
"... Whatever, lech."