InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Drinking Baby ❯ A Date is a Date ( Chapter 5 )

Drinking Baby

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Four: A Date is a Date

"I seriously can't take another day of this," Inu Yasha said, covering his face with his hands.

"Nor can I. And Kagome's words don't seem to be helping either...," Miroku said exasperatingly.

It was now six months since the start of Sango's pregnancy. She had definitely gotten rounder around the middle, but her mood swings were now a little too much to bear. She was currently inside, crying her eyes out while Kagome tried to comfort her; no one knew the cause of her tears. Miroku and Inu Yasha were outside the hut, trying to get a little peace, while Kirara and Shippo tumbled together in the dirt.

Finally, Miroku said: "I'm going in."

To anyone that would have sounded as if Miroku were planning to enter a booby-trapped building, but Inu Yasha merely snorted, saying "Good luck" to the monk before watching him walk off.

Miroku rubbed his temple upon entering the hut. Being closer to the wailing Sango only intensified his headache. But he felt that she, as the mother of his child, was somehow his responsibility, and he was willing to do anything to keep her happy.

He kneeled in front of Sango, placing both her hands in his. He looked up at Kagome, letting her know that she was free to take a break, and then turned back to the taiji-ya. He slowly began to massage the tops of her hands with his thumbs, just hoping to get her attention.

Sango looked at Miroku with tear-filled eyes. She sniffled, holding back her tears as he opened his mouth to say something to her.

"Sango-chan, what's bothering you?" Miroku asked in a syrupy-sweet voice. When she said nothing, he continued. "Won't you please stop crying?"

She wrinkled her nose at Miroku's exaggeration on please. She could tell he was trying to be sincere, but it was hard to conceal his annoyance anymore. Sango had been experiencing different on and off feelings, and that worried her friends that they had had countless sleepless nights looking after her.

"Now tell me," Miroku tried again, "what's troubling you?"

"It hurts...," Sango muttered, ashamed.

Miroku stared at her a moment, trying not to let his anger pass over his face; if Sango saw it would only make her cry again. He tried to understand her pain. He had never carried a child, as hadn't Sango, but he couldn't see what the problem was.

He smiled the best grin he could muster, and Sango took that as a sign for her to move in. She stretched herself out, putting her head on his lap; she winced as small jolt of pain rushed through her body. Miroku blinked. What was Sango doing? She had never trusted him so much as to lay her head on his lap before. He said nothing for fear her sadness would surely turn to anger, but instead ran his fingers through her hair. That's when the idea struck him.

"How about a date? Will that ease your stomach?"

Sango looked up at him in disbelief. Had Miroku just asked her on a date? She averted her eyes, blushing; she'd heard from Kagome that dates were a way for a man to express his feelings towards the woman he loved.

"...Houshi-sama, would you really do that for me?"

"I don't see why not. It's the least I can do to make you feel better." Miroku smiled, moving Sango's head so he could stand. "I'll be right back," he promised her.

As Miroku stepped out of the hut, he began to think about Sango's reaction to his offering. A date was only a fruit; there was no need to get so excited.

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Miroku came back near dinnertime. He'd come back with a handful of freshly picked dates, but had saved them for Sango rather than eating them himself. Upon reaching the hut, he stopped just outside, as he heard the sound of his name coming from Kagome's lips; she seemed to be talking with Sango.

There was a squeal of happiness (probably from Kagome), followed by: "Oh, Sango-chan, I'm so happy for you! Miroku's actually taking you on a date."

Miroku knit his eyebrows together. He wasn't taking Sango on a date, that wasn't possible. Did she plan on riding a fruit? He strained his ears a little more to see if he could catch the rest of the conversation. Instead, he only heard silence.

Dumbstruck, he stared up at Sango as she looked down apologetically. While Miroku tried to eavesdrop on Sango's conversation with Kagome, he hadn't realized that they had stopped talking, and she had opened the door to go out and look for him. With the full force of the door, Miroku had been knocked flat on his rear, dropping the dates in hand.

"Gomen," Sango said, extending a hand to help the monk up.

Grabbing the dates, Miroku reached out to grab Sango's outstretched hand. He noted that as she pulled him up, she winced as though struck with a horrible pain.

"Sango-chan," he started.

"I'm all right," she declared, holding her back. "I think dinner's about ready."

Miroku smiled. Even though something was troubling her, Sango was indeed strong and would make a wonderful mother...and a wonderful wife. And subconsciously, as the houshi and the taiji-ya walked back into the hut, Miroku stretched out his hand, and Sango grabbed it, holding it tight.

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"Kagome-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering...could you tell me, what's a date?"

Kagome looked at Miroku skeptically. She knew that Miroku had already asked Sango on a date, but then why was he asking what it was? Maybe he just wanted to know what you do on dates...?

"Well," Kagome began, "Dates are when you take someone-preferably the one you care most for-on a little outing." Miroku opened his mouth to interject, but she continued. "He-that is to say you, Miroku-have the obligation to pay for whatever Sango-chan wants to do. But, it's better for the two of you to decide together on what you should do in the evening. It's even better for you to decide ahead of time...you know, like a surprise."

Miroku nodded his thanks, and Kagome continued to stare.

"Or did you mean the fruit?"

"No-no, of course not! I know what date I want."

"Good. A date's a date, right?"

Miroku smiled. "Right. Thanks Kagome-chan."

And that was how Miroku found out which date was which. He almost wished he hadn't said anything about the dates (fruit), but he had put his best interests in Sango. He really had only wanted to please her. Miroku had considered canceling his so-called-scheduled-date with Sango, but if he truly did want to please her, canceling was not the best way to do it.

What if he didn't cancel, but told Sango the truth instead?

No, he knew that would only crush her. From what Kagome told him and from what he already knew, Sango had been euphoric and was anticipating their date.

"What have I gotten myself into?" he mused aloud. "Why is it that every time I get into something like this it involves a woman?"

Miroku buried his head in his knees. He felt miserable, both physically and mentally. No matter how much he tried to fix things, he always ended up making them worse than they already were. He just knew that there was no way he was altering his biggest mistake. The mistake that had led to this mistake, which was bound to make more mistakes....

He had had that conversation with Kagome the night before, and this evening was the evening he had promised to take Sango out. He stood up, dusting off his robes. Miroku knocked softly on the door he had been leaning against seconds before. He prayed that Sango not hear his rap, but wasn't at all disappointed when he heard padded footsteps running up to greet him.

The door in front of them slid open, revealing a tuckered out-looking Sango. She was breathing heavily, a hand on her swollen belly. Her hair seemed to be flying in all directions. Noticing his stares, Sango ran her hands through her hair, trying to smooth out the loose ends.

"Sango-chan, I...theses are for you," Miroku said, pulling his hand out from behind him.

Sango looked at the wilting daisies in her friend's hand. In his nervous-embarrassment, Miroku must have smothered the life right out of the pretty flowers he had picked for Sango; he had his fist tightly clenching the floral stems.

"T-Thank you, Houshi-sama."

Sango reached out and grabbed the flowers from the monk's outstretched hand. He let go of the flowers almost immediately, almost as if they were contaminated with some terrible disease that he did not want to catch.

"Let me just give these to Kagome-chan to put in water," Sango said bowing her head and rushing back inside the room.

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"How was the meal, Sango-chan?"

Miroku had taken the liberty of taking Sango to the nicest noodle house in the area and that had gone over well enough; give or take a few accidents along the way. And on their way over, the two had warmed up to each other's company, and it seemed as if nothing had ever happened between them.

"It was wonderful, Houshi-sama!" Hesitating a little, Sango asked, "Remember when that man dropped that bowl of hot soba onto your lap?"

"How could I forget?" Miroku said sardonically. He cursed inwardly as his thighs rubbed against the fresh burn when he walked. "...I could use a drink right about now. Whata'ya say?"

Sango stopped walking, leaving Miroku to standing alone, wondering.

"I told you I would never drink again...," Sango muttered.

Miroku felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach; the same feeling he had gotten when he found out Sango was pregnant with his child. How could he have been so stupid to suggest something like that? A drink? Sango had gotten pregnant because they had had a drink. Was he really willing to get wasted after six months of remaining sober? He had stopped drinking in order to protect Sango...from himself.

"Sango-chan, I'm sorry.... I forgot."

Sango looked up and smiled. "Think nothing of it. I wouldn't expect you to remember anyway," she added playfully.

"Thank you, Sango," Miroku said, grabbing her hands. "Now, what do you say we head back?"

"That'd be great," Sango said, removing her hands from Miroku's. She turned to look at him as they made their way through the tree-filled terrain. Maybe it was the moonlight, but tonight, he looked really handsome; standing there, tall and lanky, his hair blowing in the cool breeze of night.

"...`ov you."

"What?" Sango asked, looking into his deep violet eyes. "Gomen Houshi-sama, I was thinking about something else."

Miroku raised his arms, stretched and yawned, then casually rested an arm across Sango's shoulders. Smiling down at the sheepish taiji-ya, he shook his head slowly.

"It's nothing, Sango. Nothing at all."

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A/N: Oh gawds.... I've heard that fluff plagues you in the early hours of the morning (it's 2am central time), and I believe it now. This chapter was supposed to be fluff-filled, but I was too tired to write out the entire date, and I really wanted to get this chapter out before school started. Seeing as I would have no time to write over the weekend, tonight (or rather, this morning) was the night/morning to finish this and post it before I got angry emails begging me to update. By the way, sorry about spelling and grammar mistakes (me = sleepy). Now, if you don't mind...I'm going to bed.

REVIEW. *Zzzzzz......*