Sango awoke the next morning when Miroku brushed the hair from her face. Intently studying her, he grinned when she blinked up at him and he asked, "Would I be cheating if I stole your focus right now?"
She groggily countered with, "What focus?"
He laughed, pulling her onto him. She nuzzled into his hard muscular chest as awareness flooded every sense within her body. In the morning light, she realized she strongly wanted more than just a business relationship with this man. Unwilling to voice her yearning just yet, she kissed his chest and straddled his hips to rise above him. Feeling him hard and ready against her, she ran her hands down his chest while cocking an eyebrow, "Okay, you just stole my focus."
With a lusty growl, he toppled her sideways. The wrestling, which started as sensual, soon turned more passionate. It was Sango who broke things off this time.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing her withdrawal.
Barely a whisper in the humid air, she breathed, "You. Us. This is… different."
She almost stumbled, jerking away from him to get out of bed. He caught her, pulling her to him as he said, "Talk to me, Sango."
Frowning, she asked in a shaky voice, "How can we be sure it's not just a rebound, or because Sensei is leaving? A lot of emotional stuff is happening right now and…"
He turned her face to his so that she could see the absolute sincerity in his eyes. " I have never felt about anyone the way I do about you, Sango. I'll admit I'm a flirt and have a reputation as a ladies man, but ever since I saw you I haven't wanted anyone else."
Tears threatened to overflow her lashes, and he tenderly wiped them away. "This? You and me? It's real, Sango. It's very real."
She put her arms around his neck, fighting a wave of emotion. Confused and wanting comfort, she nuzzled into him when he wrapped his arms around her, admitting, "I've never been in love. I thought I had been. Now I know that I hadn't."
Feeling as though everything was happening too fast, she shuddered. He rubbed her back in soothing circles, slowly calming her. As she settled, Sango remembered his words on focus. Miroku tipped her chin up with a questioning look when she laughed, so she rolled her eyes and admitted, "I guess my focus shifted, huh?"
He grinned. "I sure hope so because mine sure did."
They eventually moved into the living room, after making coffee. While they prepared breakfast, both agreed that they'd take over the martial arts school. They called sensei to tell him. Sounding relieved, he told Sango that he'd bring the papers over right away. When he appeared, both pressed him about his mother's life expectancy.
Shaking his head, he told them not to worry, "She's almost eighty years old. She's lived a full life and has no regrets. In fact, she's considering refusing the treatments."
Miroku remained quiet, knowing this was a personal decision, while Sango vehemently urged him, "You can't let her just give up!"
Sensei sighed. "She wants to go with dignity, Sango. There is no dignity with the medical treatments. I've seen what it does."
Sango sniffled, remembering her Aunt Minnie from her childhood days and all the fun she had been. They talked a while longer, sharing memories, then he hugged them both before seeing himself out.
Sango resisted looking at the contents of the envelope but Miroku had no such compunction and read the letter and document. It gave instructions where to leave the contract and bade them goodbye. He intended to retire to South America once his mother was gone and her affairs settled.
Making a point of distracting Sango throughout the day, he lured her outside to work on some techniques and focus exercises. It wasn't until they'd curled into bed that night when he told her what the letter said. Having heard her uncle speak of a yearning to visit Brazil, she silently nodded and snuggled next to Miroku. Sensei deserved happiness.
Over the following weeks and with her help, Miroku became familiar enough with the class members and schedules to begin implementing small changes. They continued to grow closer, and no one was surprised when he proposed on Christmas Eve.
When their first child came around a year later, they named her Minnie, in honor of Sango's aunt. It wasn't long before she was toddling all around the dojo and getting in everyone's way. A year later she had a brother, who they named Mushin, for Miroku's beloved foster father. Four more children would follow, and the dojo would expand to multiple locations.
Sango would always look back to that first spar between them and smile. Miroku had broken her focus all right. Broken her out of her hesitant, aloof shell and showed her just how much passion she had inside of her. Life had never been the same, and it had never been so good.
Finis.
.
